Like most kids, mine think designating one measly day a year for the wearing of costumes is not nearly enough. So, Halloween comes often in our household via these marker masks. Kyle and Jake love to jazz up the shiny tinfoil surface with markers, making freckles, warts and Maori tattoos, so that they'll be sufficiently terrifying by the time their dad arrives home from work.

To make a mask, cut a 24-by-12-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil--the thick kind you use for wrapping a turkey--then double up the foil into a 12-inch square. Press the foil onto your child's face, making sure to mold it over his cheekbones, nose, eye sockets and lips. (It won't actually resemble your child that much, but the process is fun.) Carefully pull the mask away, taking care not to bend it. With scissors, your child can cut strips of hair at the top; eye, nose and mouth holes; and even eyelashes that can be curled on a pencil. Then, using permanent markers and pressing down gently, he can add in all kinds of colorful details.