Making a snowman is one of the most cherished winter activities to enjoy the outdoors, but what about for the fall?

One of the camp traditions the Senior campers take part in is the creation of the Camp Scarecrow! As a part of the MentorQuest program, Senior campers create homemade scarecrows to share with their Day Camp buddies. Whether your camper has younger siblings, neighbors, cousins, or wants something fun to do with friends, making their own scarecrow can become an entertaining all-day activity to celebrate the start of fall.

Supplies:

• Tall Kitchen plastic bags
• Two boards or pieces of wood for the scarecrow stand, made into a cross
• Newspaper
• Twine or rope
• Old clothes
• Colored construction paper
• Embellishments
  • Straw or grass skirt
  • Fabric markers
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Buttons

Procedure:

Create the stand for your scarecrow by tying together the two pieces of wood with twine (or for a sturdier stand, use hammer and nail to create the cross fixture.)

Dress your scarecrow in old clothes (a button down shirt, overalls or flannel generally work best.)

Make the head from a stuffed plastic bag, filled with other plastic bags or newspaper and tie to the stake.

Add eyes, nose and a mouth with googly eyes, construction paper or marker.

Fill the plastic grocery bags with balls of newspaper. Tie the bags in a knot and stuff the clothing with the bags for the body, arms and legs.

Top off your scarecrow with a straw hat and add any other fun embellishments to make it your own!

Other ideas:

Have your camper create a story for the scarecrow and make it their own character with a name.

Decorate with other fall items like leaves from outside, surround with pumpkins or give it a Halloween costume!

Stake outside for a fun fall decoration, or make it spooky for Halloween night.

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