Help your child make this fun Halloween scarecrow

This DIY mini scarecrow is great for making with kids and is small enough to be sculpted entirely out of hay without losing its form. A smaller scarecrow can be assembled without power tools like a saw or drill, making it a better option for children. You can give yours a unique look by dressing it up in recycled doll clothes and accessorising it with hair, a hat, and button eyes.

What you need

• Hay (Can be purchased at an animal supply store)
• Hessian fabric
• Six rubber bands
• Doll clothing
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Craft wire 
• Scarecrow accessories, such as a hat, buttons for eyes, or a permanent marker to draw a face

How to make it

1. Create the legs and the body first. For the legs, gather some hay, fold over the top and secure it with a rubber band. Create a second leg the same size as the first. 
2. Make the body by gathering a bunch of hay about twice the length of one of the legs. Secure the top and bottom of the body with rubber bands.
3. Make the arms by gathering two similar-sized bunches of hay. Fold over the top of each bunch, and secure it with a rubber band. Attach the arms to the body of the scarecrow with another rubber band. If the arms seem loose, add another rubber band to the chest area of the scarecrow’s body. Use craft wire to attach the rubber bands from the end of the arms to the rubber band on the chest.
4. Make the head by overlaying two strips of hessian fabric in a “t” pattern. Stuff the hessian with some hay and tie it with a rubber band.
5. Secure the head to the body by tying another rubber band around the ends of the hessian.
6. Lastly, let your child decorate their scarecrow by adding hair, a face, and accessories.