Creating a unique and creepy Halloween decoration for your front yard can be one of the many joys you experience as a family this autumn. Whether you're throwing a Halloween party, setting up a scary haunted house, or simply preparing for a night of trick-or-treat adventures, a fun Halloween is sure to be in store when you complete this Halloween ghost DIY project. With just a few basic supplies, kids and adults of all ages can build a life-size circle of dancing ghosts just in time for Halloween.
Things You'll Need
- Black marker
- Twine
- Old newspapers
- 5 wooden dowels, 1-inch diameter and 3 feet tall
- 10 plastic shopping bags
- 5 white sheets
- Duct tape
- Rubber mallet or hammer
Black marker
Twine
Old newspapers
5 wooden dowels, 1-inch diameter and 3 feet tall
10 plastic shopping bags
5 white sheets
Duct tape
Rubber mallet or hammer
Drive in the first dowel
Locate the perfect spot to display the dancing ghosts in your front yard; then drive the first dowel into the ground with a rubber mallet or hammer. Leave at least 2 1/2 feet of the dowel exposed aboveground, so you have plenty of room to create your first Halloween ghost directly on top of it.
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Tap in the remaining dowels
Arrange the remaining dowels in a circle, approximately 3 feet apart. Then, tap each of the remaining dowels into the ground one at a time with your rubber mallet or hammer, so at least 2 1/2 feet of each dowel remains above ground, just as you did with the first dowel.
Create dancing ghosts
To create your dancing ghosts, place a large wad of newspapers, at least 8 inches across, inside double plastic bags. Repeat the process four more times to make five doubled bags with a large wad of newspaper in each of them.
Affix dancing ghosts
Turn the first plastic bag upside-down over the first dowel. Twist the ends of the bag tightly around the dowel, creating a round stuffed head shape. Use duct tape to secure the stuffed head to the dowel. Repeat the process for the remaining four ghosts. You will now have five ghost heads affixed to five dowels.
Tip
If you have large styrofoam balls at home, you can also use those to create the ghost heads as an alternative to old newspaper and plastic bags.
Decorate the dancing ghosts
Drape a sheet over each dancing ghost one at a time. Secure each sheet with a length of twine, tied just under the ghost's head. Draw a ghostly face on each sheet with a black marker so each ghostly face is directed toward the center of the circle.
Attach the ghosts together
To make the ghosts dance, simply tie the corner of each sheet together with the corner of the sheet on the ghost next to it. This will make the ghosts look as if they are holding hands and dancing in a circle.
Additional decoration ideas
To make your circle of dancing ghosts even more impressive, place a few jack-o'-lanterns, black cats or bat decorations in the center of your ghost circle.
Tip
To highlight the ghost circle on Halloween night, consider setting up a spotlight or colored landscape light nearby.
Party ideas
Lawn ghosts make great gift ideas, especially for those attending your Halloween party. Simply gather up some old newspaper or tissue paper, as well as the remaining materials on our list, and give the dancing ghost DIY project in a gift bag complete with easy-to-follow printable instructions for your guests.