1 piece cheesecloth or medical gauze, roughly 30 x 30 cm, per ghost
Liquid starch (laundry starch in a spray or a 1:1 mix of PVA glue and water works as a substitute)
Black acrylic paint and a fine brush
A small cup or egg cup to rest the ball on while it dries
Cling film or a plastic bag (to wrap the ball so the gauze releases cleanly)
Optional: a miniature clay or resin pumpkin to tuck into the ghost's front
Step by Step
Wrap the polystyrene ball tightly in cling film so there are no loose folds on the top half. This is what lets you remove the gauze shell cleanly once dry. Sit the wrapped ball on an egg cup.
An adult prepares the starch solution. Mix PVA glue and water in equal parts in a bowl if you do not have liquid starch. The mix should be the consistency of thin cream, runny enough to saturate fabric but not so watery it does not stiffen.
Dip the cheesecloth into the starch solution and squeeze out the excess gently. You want the fabric wet and droopy but not dripping puddles. Drape it over the ball, arranging the fabric so it falls in natural folds around the base. Pull a few folds outward at the hem to suggest a floating figure.
Leave it to dry completely overnight in a warm spot. Do not try to rush this with a hairdryer; the airflow disturbs the folds and flattens them. In the morning the gauze will be rigid and hold its shape.
Gently ease the hardened ghost off the ball. It should pop free with a little wiggle; if it sticks, a adult can slide a blunt knife edge carefully underneath the rim to release it. The cling film stays on the ball for reuse.
Use a fine brush and black acrylic paint to dot two oval eyes on the upper half of the ghost. Let them dry for 10 minutes. If adding a miniature pumpkin, tuck it into a fold at the front and secure with a tiny dot of glue.
Good to Know
Ages: 6 and up, adult handles the starch solution.