Make a Crazy Pumpkin Character

Pumpkin carving is fun, but is not recommended for young children. That doesn’t mean your child has to miss out on creating his very own Jack-o-lantern! Here’s a silly activity that’s a less dangerous version of pumpkin carving: using a small pumpkin and some fun materials, kids can bring their pumpkins to life. Toothpicks can act as arms, glued-on buttons as eyes, cotton balls for some wacky hair, and even clothes can be made out of felt. Encourage your kids to write some spooky Halloween stories about their pumpkin characters. Or, they might even want to act them out using their pumpkins on stage.

What You Need:

• A small pumpkin
• Toothpicks
• Cotton balls
• Felt
• Buttons
• Pipe cleaners
• Glue

What to Do:

1. Tell your child that she will turn her small pumpkin into her very own crazy pumpkin character! Show her all the art materials and how she can use them. For example, demonstrate how the toothpicks can serve as arms, how the cotton balls can act as hair or clothing, how buttons make eyes, how the pipe cleaner can represent a mouth and how the felt can be used to create an outfit. Your child might even have her very own ideas of how to creatively use some other materials, such as dried pasta, clay or even glitter. The possibilities are endless!
2. Now it’s time for you child to name her pumpkin and give it a backstory! Can she write a spooky Halloween story with her crazy pumpkin as the main character. If other kids have been involved in this activity, encourage the entire group to make up a play with their characters and put on their very own crazy character pumpkin show for the neighborhood kids!
3. Finally, put your child’s Jack-o-Lantern on display on the porch, in the kitchen window, or the entryway of your home—any place that will scare ghost and goblins away!