3 No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
October means it’s officially time to decorate for Halloween, and if your children are anything like mine, they are in love with pumpkins! My son and daughter point them out on every porch we pass, and they were like kids in a candy store when we visited the pumpkin patch last week. My daughter especially loves the idea of decorating pumpkins, but not only is carving messy and difficult with little ones, but carved pumpkins only last a few days before they start to rot. Here are a few ways you can get in the spirit of the season without ever pulling out a knife or getting stuck elbow-deep in pumpkin innards!
Quick tip: Pie pumpkins – larger than minis, and much smaller than regular sized – are perfect for crafting with kids. They’re big enough to provide ample surface area for decoration, but small enough that kids can handle them by themselves. Plus, they’re super-affordable – usually about $2 or $3 each, depending on where you purchase them.
I see you! Googley-Eye Pumpkin
What you need:
- Black paint
- Paint brush
- Googley eyes
- Tacky white glue
Let your child paint the pumpkin black and let it dry. (I told my daughter to “cover all the orange” with black paint, and she did a pretty good job!) Then, add small dots of tacky white glue all over the pumpkin, and let you child adhere one googley eye onto each dot. (You might need to help press them in place afterwards to be sure they are nice and stuck, and to prevent them from sliding down before the glue sets.)
G is for Georgia! Thumbtack Initial Pumpkin
What you need:
- Washable marker
- White thumbtacks
Use a washable marker to draw a large initial on your pumpkin; we did a “G” for my daughter Georgia. Then, stick thumbtacks directly into pumpkin along the marker lines. Of course, use caution and supervise your children for this step – older kids can likely do it themselves, but for younger kids, you might want to help them by inserting the tacks just slightly and letting them push them in the rest of the way. Once finished, you can rub your fingers or a moist paper towel over the washable marker lines to remove the markings, leaving just the tack design.
Pretty in 3D! Foam Sticker Pumpkin
What you need:
- White paint
- Paint brush
- Orange foam stickers
Let your child paint the pumpkin white and let it dry. Then, let your child use orange 3D foam stickers to decorate as they please all over the pumpkin!
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This article was originally published in 2014 and has been updated with current information.
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