This cheap and easy Halloween haunted house prop is a must have.What is it? “Boil and bubble, toil and trouble.” It’s Halloween and every witch has a bubbling bone stew in her cauldron. Just what’s in that frightening brew? Leg and arm bones jut out of the boiling cauldron. Floating in the steaming liquid is a spooky skull and ribcage. Your Halloween guests will wonder if they’re next on the menu. Here’s how to make this cheap and easy Halloween haunted house prop.
Materials
You will be using dry ice for the bubbling bone stew. The area you use it in must be well ventilated, as it will fill with CO2 gas from the dry ice. When handling dry ice, you must always use gloves to avoid being burned. You will also need hot water, a Halloween cauldron and some decorative fake plastic bones, or a skeleton that breaks up into pieces for storage. You will need a few drops of liquid dish soap for the bubbling action of the bone stew, a few electronic tea-lights to surround the cauldron and a fall leaf garland. If you buy the Halloween items after the holiday, they can be quite inexpensive.
The Set Up
Place your Halloween cauldron on the floor in the center of your haunted house. Once again, be sure there is adequate ventilation. For this reason, it’s preferable to place the cauldron just outside the entry door to your haunted house. Surround the cauldron with the tea lights so the kettle looks as if it’s placed on an open fire. To disguise the tea-lights, wrap a fall leaf garland around the base of the kettle. The tea lights flickering flames will show, but the lights themselves will not.
Concocting the Bubbling Bone Stew
Place all the bones for the bubbling bone stew in the cauldron. If you bought a complete skeleton, break up the bones into sections before placing them in the pot. Arrange the bones in a fashion that appears as if someone was thrown into the brew. Pour the hot water in. You will need enough to fill the cauldron halfway. Add a few drops of dish soap for the bubbling effect. Just before guests arrive, add dry ice to the water, one piece at a time until the desired effect is achieved. It may be necessary to add more hot water as the night goes on to keep the bubbling bone stew effect going.
Additional Props and Tips
If you already have a witches broom, or even a scary fake witch, these make awesome haunted house props to add to the ambiance of your bubbling bone stew. Just place a witch next to the kettle, broom in hand. She can lure your victims into the haunted house. An old broomstick or wooden dowel makes an excellent stir stick for the cauldron. The bubbling bone stew may make a bit of a mess if it accidentally overflows. Be sure to place the cauldron where messes won’t be an issue.
Source:
Personal Experience
