Making things a bit spooky

I am on the board of my building. Each of us on the board takes on various tasks to keep the building working well. One of the things that I do is take on the job of decorating the lobby for Halloween. Before I was on the board the decorations were a riot of dollar store decorations.

Each year I come up with a theme with some of the kids. The decorations are usually made with stuff people have around the house. I never know who will be joining me in the lobby to make the decorations. Will it be just toddlers who can't manage scissors? Will I be joined with lovely kids all of whom have issues with their fine motor skills? Will there be at least one adult in the mix who is comfortable climbing a ladder?

I also need to be aware that the decorations need to evoke the spookiness of Halloween but not terrify the small children who come in and out of the lobby on their way to and from home. My older son refused to go trick or treating in our building for several years because a neighbor had answered her door in such a terrifying way, (with a smoke machine, a recording of screams and terrifying red uplighting) that he ran home in tears of terror.

Some of the adults in the building want a bit of restraint in the decorations.

The theme for this year was "Spooky Forest". I came to the lobby on the Sunday before Halloween with a general plan and an open mind about what can be accomplished. The afternoon began with a couple of adults who got to work making eyes --black circles cut out and pasted onto larger white circles, and spooky branches cut out of black paper.

Kids then joined us and began making leaves. Some of of the participants have been showing up for a few years and wanted to make bats which were part of the theme last year. So, onward with bats to populate our spooky forest.

There is a set of twin girls in our building who adore cats.Other years they have made cats as part of our Halloween decorating. This year they were unable to join us but this year, a sweet and enthusiastic boy who loves participating but has some trouble with his fine motor skills made cats on his own, with no help.

I had a late in the day brainstorm, plastic wrap ghosts. The one below has three googly eyes, because why not?

This year we had a young teen wo was ready to climb the ladder to hang things high. he mother (fearful of heights, like I am, gave her permission).

There is something just so lovely about working with the same kids year after year, watching kids who a few years ago were of token help really coming into their own. It's nice to see kids grow both in skill and in ideas and to be able to collaborate with them.

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