Page 145 - NT 2022 Almanac

Make a Scary Scarecrow
Scarecrows were first made as a way to stop birds from eating farmers’ crops. Figures were made from wood and straw and then placed in fields against poles.
These days, people use many materials
to make scarecrows: pots, clothes, straw, wood, clay, tins and paint. Why not make your own scarecrow? Put it in the window at Halloween to make trick-or-treaters jump! Remember to ask your parents or carers before taking any of the things you’ll need to make your scarecrow.
You will need:
3 bamboo canes or strong sticks (2 m, 1 m and 30 cm long)
String
Old pair of tights
Straw, old newspapers or leaves Paint or permanent markers Old clothes
Old hat
1 Make a frame for your scarecrow by tying the 1 m cane or stick tightly to the 2 m cane or stick with string about 15 cm from one end, in a cross shape.
2 Tie the 30 cm cane or stick in the same way about halfway down.
3 Take one leg of the tights and stuff it with straw, newspaper or leaves.
Push the stuffing to the foot end and mould it into a head shape.
4 Knot the leg of the tights around the bottom of the head to stop the straw from falling out.
5 Draw or paint a funny or scary face on it.
6 Now tie the head on to the top of the frame with string.
7 Dress your scarecrow! You could put a shirt on the top crossbar and the
trousers on the smaller bar, for example.
8 Tie off the bottom of the trouser legs with string and stuff them as you
did the head.
9 Button up the shirt and tie the ends of the arms, then stuff the sleeves.
10 Push some straw under the hat and leave it sticking out to look like hair! 144