Supplies:
Pumpkins
Chalkboard paint
Chalk
Permanent white marker (optional)
Can’t figure out what to give the kids who come over for a party on Halloween? You definitely need party favors but wouldn’t you like to avoid all of the typical favors that are given to kids? Eliminate the plastic toys, the glow sticks, and the other dollar-store basket stuff and do something really fun for the Halloween visitors. Give them each a small pumpkin but make it extra special. Don’t paint it, make a cute cover for it, or give it a jack-o-lantern face. Turn it into a chalkboard crossword puzzle and you’ll give each child a pumpkin and a game.
Sure, a huge pumpkin is expensive and cumbersome for a child but that doesn’t mean you can’t give away a much smaller version. The kids will love them as chalkboards and more. They’ve probably never gotten chalkboard pumpkins before so, if nothing else, each child take home a real surprise to show off to the parents.
Line up clean pumpkins and spray them with black chalkboard paint. That instantly gives each pumpkin a Halloween look. It will probably take at least two coats to get good coverage.
When you write the letters of the crossword puzzle on the chalkboard pumpkin with a paint marker they can’t be erased. That’s one option. The child can encircle each word with a piece of chalk and erase it again and again. You could also write the letters of the puzzle with white chalk and give colored chalk to circle with.
Although the classic white chalk on a black board is great, you can also make pumpkins of other colors, if you want. Chalkboard paint comes in colors of pink, blue, green, yellow, and others, and so does chalk.
In case you didn’t know, a pumpkin can be a chalkboard without any paint being applied to it. Dark colors, such as blue, green, and brown, can show up well on the pumpkin. Decide if you’re using permanent marker, or not, and how you want the puzzle to be, and then write the letters on the pumpkin. Go all the way around or just make a puzzle on the front. Include a few Halloween words, such as “Boo”, “Ghost”, “Eek”, “Pumpkin”, or “Fright”, in the puzzle for the kids to encircle. Make each puzzle pumpkin party favor the same or each one different.
Chalkboard crossword puzzle pumpkins are not the norm – perfect for a Halloween party. Kids will always remember receiving such a party favor and they will all have fun doing the puzzles included.