Halloween Crafts ...

Monster Meter

Have fun finding monsters with this light up monster meter you make yourself!

Be sure to visit all of our other ghostly crafts, our fabulous costume ideas and these spook-tackular Halloween recipes!

What you'll need:

• Cardboard box (we used a juice box container)
• Inexpensive flashlight
• Aluminum foil, enough to cover box
• Clear shipping tape
• Lid from plastic milk carton
• Red cellophane
• Black marker
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun or duct tape
• Craft knife

How to make it:

1. Make sure that one end of the cardboard box is sealed shut. On the front of the box, near the closed end, use the craft knife to cut a rectangle window, about 1" from the sides and 2" from the top.
2. Lay a piece of red cellophane (about twice the size of your window) over the window and tape a couple of corners in place to hold it steady
3. Use the black marker to write the word "Monster!" over the window (see image).
4. Use clear tape to secure the cellophane over the window, taping all sides and pulling the cellophane tight.
5. Turn the box over and loosely tape the bottom end closed. Place the handle end of the flashlight in the center and trace around the handle end (see image).
6. Use the craft knife to cut out the tracing. Remove or cut the loose tape holding the bottom closed to reopen it (see image).
7. Place the flashlight into the box, handle end sticking out through the hole you just created. Be sure that the on/off switch is outside of the box. Tape the ends down again, this time securely.
8. Hot glue or duct tape around the opening where your flashlight is to make the handle secure (see image).
9. Tape pieces of the heavy duty aluminum foil onto the box, making sure to cover everything except for the area around the red window. Use tape to secure the foil.
10. Hot glue the milk jug lid to the front of the box to act as a knob for your "Monster Meter."
11. Turn on flashlight to illuminate the "Monster!" window whenever you find a monster!

Tips:

1. This can be used in a fun hide-and-seek-type game played either outside at night or inside with the lights off. When the "hider" is found, light up the monster meter.
2. You can find inexpensive flashlights at discount department stores. We found ours for $1.00 at an all-purpose superstore in the sporting goods department.
3. Instead buying an entire roll of red cellophane for $3.50, look for red basket bags in the party section, we found ours for $0.99 and had plenty left over.