Witch Halloween Countdown Craft + Template

Last year I invited the neighborhood girls over to create a pumpkin Halloween countdown craft, the project was a big hit. The kids loved it more than I thought they would (proud moment!). This year I have taken on the role of Girl Scout Leader (more on that soon). Since crafts are my forte, that means I need a new kids craft every other week for a group of excited six year olds.

Since several of the girl scouts made the pumpkin countdown last year, I wanted to do something different. But I still love the countdown idea, so I designed a new Halloween countdown craft — a witch. Isn’t she cute?! (Don’t tell the Jack o Lantern, I think I like her better.)

As I sat down to design her, my awesome husband had a suggestion. Instead of making a template and tracing parts for 10 girls (my plan), why don’t you design it on the computer and then print your template right onto the construction paper. Sometimes that man has moments of brilliance!

Talk about an easy craft, just print the template on construction paper, cut, glue, staple and hang! You’re welcome.

Witch Halloween Countdown Craft

Materials:

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Stapler
• Paper trimmer (optional, but oh-so-helpful)

Directions

I use 9 x 12 construction paper, so before I print anything I have to trim my paper to 8.5 x 12.

Download the Witch Face Template. Print on green paper.

Download the Witch Hair Template. Print on orange paper.

Download the Countdown Links Template. Print on purple and/or green paper. Note, each page makes 22 links.

I couldn’t make a nice printable template for the hat  because it’s hard to print on back paper, and I used the full 12 inches to make a wide hat. However, it is created with three simple folds so you can easily make one and then either have kids trace it or follow along.

Looking at the paper horizontally, fold the top corners down until the edges touch creating the top of a triangle. Next fold the bottom flap up half way to meet the bottom edges of the triangle.

Cut on the fold lines. That leaves you with a triangle with a rectangle on the bottom (the shape in the image above). To create the witches brim, fold up the bottom rectangle creating a perfect triangle and glue the flap shut. (See close up pictures of the witch for example.)

If you are making this with kids who are old enough to use scissors, turn everything over to them to let them cut out their parts.

Witch Face – To attach the witch nose, fold the flat edge of the triangle to create a flap. Glue the flap to the witches face. Draw eyes and a mouth.

Witch Hat – To create the hat’s brim, fold up the flat edge of the shape to form a perfect triangle. Glue on witches’ head.

Witch Hair – The witch hair template will create four strips for hair and two smaller strips that can also be used as links. After cutting the four wider strips, accordion fold each strip and attach under the witches hat.

Countdown Links – I discovered the 12 inch links were too long, so I cut each strip in half creating 22 six-inch strips per page.

Once the links are strips are cut, create loops and staple them together to form a link chain. Staple the chain the witch’s chin and remove one link each day until Halloween.

Girl Scout Daisy Troop Blue Petal Lesson Idea

I mentioned that I designed this for my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop, and I wanted to tie it into the blue petal we were earning that meaning — Lupe’s Honest and Fair lesson. I had every girl scout provide a pair of scissors, but then I purposely only had five pairs of scissors (for 10 girls) on hand. Also because each sheet of strips makes 22 links, I only printed three purple and three green pages plus the four links per orange witch’s hair page.

After reading Lupe’s story and talking about the Honest and Fair lesson, I introduced the craft reminding them of the lesson. I pointed out the storage of staplers, and the limited number of colored pages. Then I suggested they discuss how they would be honest and fair sharing the supplies and sat back.

Everyone had lots of suggestions, and they settled on the best ways to share the supplies. Along the way we were also able to practice some math too. Everyone enjoyed the craft and seemed to understand the lesson tie in, so I would say that it was a win.

If witches aren’t your thing, check out the Pumpkin Halloween Countdown Craft.