Day of the Dead Artwork

What You Need:

• White paper
• Black 9x12 construction paper
• Multi-colored construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• White chalk or paint
• Paint brush
• Black marker
• Colored markers or crayons
• Googly eyes
• Stickers, glitter, foam shapes, or gems

What You Do:

1. Show your child how to draw the shape of a skull on white paper. It should be about 5 inches in length and a few inches wide.
2. Draw the eye, nose sockets and teeth with black marker. This is a great time to go over the parts of the face!
3. Cut out the skull.
4. It's time for your child to get creative! First, decorate the eyes with bright, bold colors, and then create a festive border around them for maximum spookiness. Curvy lines and shapes are great for filling in empty spaces on the forehead, cheeks and chin.
5. Glue the decorated skull onto black construction paper. Be sure it's high enough on the paper to leave room to draw a skeleton body.
6. Draw in a skeletal body with the white chalk. This is a great time for your child to learn about the major bones such as the vertebrae that help the body stand upright. The ribs protect the heart and other organs, and the pelvis carries the weight of the upper body.
7. Have your child decorate the background using the white paint and paintbrush. Encourage him to create a nighttime landscape where the sky is filled with distant stars!
8. When the paint is dry, use stickers, craft gems and glitter to give the background an original, personal touch. The sky's the limit!
9. Have your child select a sheet of the large multi-colored construction paper, and glue the picture in the center, for a colorful border. Glue the calaveras art in the center to create a beautiful frame.