Recycle Your Kids’ Jeans and Shoes for a Funny Halloween Trick

I saw this idea on someone’s front lawn in South Carolina.  She had grounded her five kids.  So I can’t claim it for my own. If you’re looking for a fun way to get some Halloween smiles from the neighbors, try out this idea. This didn’t cost me any more than the price of a few inexpensive garden stakes from the local home improvement center.  You could even use sticks from out of the woods if you really want to keep the costs down.

Supplies needed — for each kid you want to “ground”:

1. Old jeans — I used jeans with holes that weren’t going to get passed down or reused otherwise
2. Old shoes — both pair of shoes there were pretty destroyed
3. Leaves/pine needles
4. Hot glue gun or stapler to attach the shoes to the pants
5. Two stakes or long sturdy sticks, one for each pant leg
6. Rubber mallet or hammer to pound the stakes into the ground

You can also make a sign with some posterboard and a Sharpie pen.

1. Stuff the pants with the leaves/needles.  Stuff them really well, so they will stand up with minimal support.  Over several days of autumnal weather, even stick straight rigid pants will start to flex, so don’t be stingy with the leaves!
2. Invert the pants on the ground where you want them to stay.
3. Using a rubber mallet or hammer, pound one stake/stick through each pant leg.  Leave enough of the stake at the top to help support the shoes.
4. Stuff the shoes with leaves/needles.
5. Invert the shoes onto the ends of the pant legs, threading them over the ends of the stakes.
6. Staple or glue the shoes to the pant legs.

That’s it!  This took me about 15 minutes tops and I got a lot of laughs from my neighbors!

Others have blogged about this idea, but they purchased PVC and polyester stuffing and I don’t think that’s necessary.

Happy Halloween, Geek Friends!