Memphis Boo!
These projects are inspired by the new children's book Memphis Boo! As kids work their way through each of the projects listed below, they should end up with their OWN haunted Memphis book, complete with a ghost to haunt each page! Here are the highlights:
Ghost Station
Our first stop is to make ghosts that can haunt each of the scenes. We're giving kids a few different templates they can trace, if needed, or kids are welcome to create their own ghost. The kids can take the templates, trace and fill in using Sharpies on tracing or vellum paper. This gives the ghosts a fun see-through appearance.
Woodruff-Fontaine House Collage
The Woodruff-Fontaine house is a beautiful 19th century Victorian house in downtown Memphis. This house is rumored to be haunted making the perfect backdrop for a Halloween house! Kids can collage using painted paper (we use unwanted/unclaimed artwork) and construction paper to cut out imperfect shapes to make the Victorian-style haunted house!
Earnestine and Hazel's Jukebox & "Mojo Bones"
Earnestine and Hazel's Jukejoint is another Memphis haunt that is fabled to be haunted. Kids can use a step by step guide to draw "Mojo Bones," the main character from Memphis Boo! Or kids can create their own skeleton. Color your skeleton in and cut him/her out. Next we are collaging a jukebox! (Hoping kids understand what a jukebox is... :))
Elmwood Cemetery
Elmwood is a beautiful cemetery in Memphis. School groups visit Elmwood for the beauty and for its amazing history. Here, kids can draw the cemetery scene using a mix of colored pencils and crayons. This is a great project to help teach kids about perspective drawing. Kids can ask any of the staff if they have any questions.
Orpheum Theater
The Orpheum Theater is another Memphis spot fabled to be haunted. Here, kids can start by drawing a theater scene using Sharpies. Next, kids can layer in color using bleeding tissue paper and a mix of glue and water. Makes for a fun effect!
Corn Maze
The Mid-South Corn Maze is always a fun fall event Memphis. Kids can use rolled up pieces of construction paper to mimic the corn stalks and build their own maze for the ghosts to fly through!