Zombie Shirt

What You Need:

• Old T-shirt
• Newspapers
• Red food coloring
• Blue food coloring
• Green food coloring
• 3 cups
• Water
• Scissors

What You Do:

1. Help your child take all his materials outside.
2. Have him spread out newspapers on the ground to set up his workspace.
3. Talk about zombies with your child. Do they usually look squeaky clean? Does your child think zombies ever do laundry?
4. Let your child use the scissors to add a bit of wear and tear to the shirt. Make sure he doesn't cut out big chunks from the shirt—you want it to at least be wearable. Show him how to fray the edges, slash the sleeves, and make tiny holes in the fabric.
5. While he's cutting, ask your child how his zombie earned each rip and tear. Maybe the collar frayed while the zombie stumbled through a prickly berry path. Or what about the long slash in the shirt's side? Maybe the zombie accidentally got the fabric stuck on a fence post.
6. Lay the slashed shirt on the newspaper.
7. Help your child fill 3 cups with water.
8. Have him add five drops of red food coloring into one cup, five of blue into another and five of green into the last cup.
9. Let your child dip his fingers into each of the cups before flicking the colored water onto the shirt.
10. Encourage him to experiment with drip methods. He can flick his fingers in different ways or even shake his fist.
11. For more concentrated color, dribble drops of food coloring directly onto the shirt.
12. Remind him to flip the shirt over so he can cover the sides and back as well.
13. Have your child pour the water from one of the cups all around the neck opening of the shirt.
14. Once he's happy with his zombie shirt, have him leave it on the newspapers to dry.
15. Let him put his shirt on. He's ready to lurch down the street in search of brains...or candy!