An empty milk bottle and a drawn-on face can make a simple Halloween ghost. Keep the drawing as the children’s job and the cutting and lighting as the adult’s. A funny face works just as well as a frightening one.
Before you start
Never put a flame or real candle inside a plastic bottle. Use battery-powered LED lights suitable for the intended use and follow their instructions. Choose a secure battery compartment that children cannot open. Child Accident Prevention Trust Halloween advice explains the fire and button-battery risks.
What you need
- Clean, thoroughly dried milk bottles.
- Markers suitable for the children using them, following the product label.
- Battery LED lights with a secured battery compartment.
- An adult’s cutting tool and a stable work surface, only if an opening is needed.
Draw the faces together
Remove labels and dry the bottle before decorating. Let each child choose the expression. Keep lids and loose parts away from young children, and supervise throughout. There is no need to add glitter or loose decorations.
An adult prepares the light opening
Keep the children away from the cutting area. If the light cannot fit through the existing opening, an adult can make an opening appropriate to the light, taking care with sharp plastic edges. Do not leave sharp edges accessible. If that cannot be achieved, display the bottle unlit rather than improvise.
Fit and display the LEDs
Use the lights only in the way the manufacturer allows. Keep battery packs, wires and openings out of children’s reach, and do not tightly pack lights into a bottle. Treat the finished ghost as a decoration rather than a toy.
An indoor display is the simplest option. For outside use, the entire lighting set and battery pack must be rated for those conditions. A milk bottle does not make indoor lights weatherproof. Keep the display away from walking routes and bring it in if conditions are unsuitable.
Pack it away
Switch off the lights when you finish and keep batteries stored securely. Check bottles for damage before reusing them. For another supervised activity, see homemade playdough, or browse Dad Tips.
Updated 10 September 2026. Sources used for the guidance are linked above.
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