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Pumpkins are synonymous with the fall season and Halloween. While your child is excited to go trick or treating, there are also other fun ways to keep them busy and entertained. Pumpkin activities can range from simple playing and painting to elaborate cutting and decorating them using accessories.
If your little one is keen on showing their spooky spirit, here are some pumpkin activities for toddlers to try and go on exploring.
15 Pumpkin Activities For Toddlers
Here are some creative pumpkin activities that your toddler may enjoy. Your child can create some fun pumpkin crafts using creative ideas and minimal supplies.
1. Pumpkin mummies
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Give the toddler a pumpkin and some bandages. Ask them to wrap the pumpkin around with the bandage like a mummy. Ask them to draw eyes, nose, and teeth on a piece of paper, cut it out, and stick it on the pumpkin mummy’s face.
2. Pumpkin clay modeling
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Give some play-doh or clay to your child and help them in molding it in the shape of a pumpkin. You can also assist them in mashing the clay and giving it a detailed look by adding textured lines and a stem on the top.
Quick tip3. Pumpkin join the dots
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Print out a step-by-step drawing of a pumpkin, as shown in the image above. Now ask your child to connect the dots through the pumpkin’s outline. And then color the pumpkin to give it a finished look.
4. Water bottle cap pumpkins
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You need a plastic bottle, black paper, orange, white and green paint for this activity. Give the toddler a black sheet of paper, let them dip the water bottle cap into orange paint, and then press the lid onto the paper. The next step is to make a dot in the center of each circle and draw lines from the center to the pumpkin’s circumference. Then paint the leaves of the orange and white pumpkins with green paint.
5. Sock pumpkins
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To make sock pumpkins, you need to distribute a handful of plastic beads to the toddlers. Give them an orange sock and ask them to fill rice in it. Then tie it with a rubber band. Tell them to draw pumpkin eyes and teeth on a piece of paper and then cut it out to stick it on the pumpkin face.
6. Pumpkin paper lantern
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Give your toddler a sheet of orange paper. Ask them to fold it into half and make slits by snipping the center half. Once they open it, ask them to glue the ends of the paper together after rolling them in the shape of a cylinder. Stick some green paper in the form of leaves and the handle of the lantern.
7. Paper pumpkin owls
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Cut the shape of a pumpkin from an orange sheet of paper. Cut the shape of an owl’s beak from another piece of paper and two large eyes. You will see the face of an owl on a pumpkin after gluing them all together.
8. Handprint pumpkins
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Dip your toddler’s palm, excluding the fingers, into orange paint. Let them press the painted palm onto the paper to get the shape of a pumpkin. Make sure they are measuring everything right. Now ask them to paint green leaves on the top of the pumpkin.
9. Visit a pumpkin patch
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This can be a fun outdoor activity for toddlers. Picking a day to take them to visit a pumpkin shop or a pumpkin farm could be a good idea. Let them spend time observing each type of pumpkin.
10. Pumpkin cleaning
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Whenever you bring home, a pumpkin let the toddler help you clean it. Teach them how to wash them after gathering all the pumpkins and then dry them out for storage.
Quick tip11. Pumpkin painting
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Give the toddler a pumpkin and their choice of paints. Now instruct them to use the pumpkin as their canvas and paint it in any color they like.
Children really enjoy coloring and decorating pumpkins. Mother of two daughters, Lavanya shares how her little princesses enjoy playing with pumpkins. She says, “D (her daughter) was so happy when I gave her the labels to stick on the pumpkin. She covered all the dots perfectly & was able to do it with no help. She repeated this activity by placing matching labels on the ones already stuck on the pumpkin – color matching. My LOs (little ones) loved this activity and repeated it on mini pumpkins using princess stickers. They call it Sticker Pumpkins (i).”
12. Halloween pumpkin stickers
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You need to collect some Halloween-themed pumpkin stickers for this simple activity, such as pumpkin eyes, candies, pumpkin teeth, and leaves. Let the toddler clean the pumpkin and stick these stickers on it.
13. Pumpkin tic-tac-toe
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Take a white chart paper and make a tic-tac-toe board. You will need white and orange pumpkins for this activity. Make pairs of toddlers play the game on the board where one of them uses orange pumpkins and the other uses white ones. Any player who fails to complete the game in more than two attempts loses.
14. Emotional learning activity
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Take a piece of paper and cut out various expressions such as a smile, no word, sadness, excitement, and showing teeth. Stick these on the pumpkin’s face and ask the toddler to label each emotion they see.
15. Pumpkin stamps
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For this activity, you need smaller pumpkins and some paint. Ask your toddler to dip one side of the pumpkin in paint and then go on tracing it on the canvas or a sheet of paper.
These pumpkin activities for toddlers are fun, easy to organize, and educational. While your child is having fun carving out a pumpkin, you may supervise and ensure their safety during the entire activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What age is appropriate for pumpkin activities for toddlers?
The recommended age range for pumpkin-themed activities for toddlers is two years old and older, provided that all activities are carried out in the utmost safety and under the supervision of adults or parents.
2. What safety precautions should I take when doing pumpkin activities with toddlers?
Most pumpkin-carving tools are sharp, so do not let the toddler carve the pumpkin. Instead, carve the pumpkin and give it to the toddler to make the finishing touches using blunt plastic tools. Ensure that the toddler is instructed not to eat the pumpkin and remove any seeds to prevent them from being choking hazards. Also, consider using LED candles or glow sticks inside the pumpkins instead of using candles.
3. What are some benefits of incorporating pumpkins into toddlers’ play and learning activities?
Pumpkins have a distinct texture, color, and smell, making them ideal for young children to explore. Toddlers can use child-safe tools to carve or scoop the pumpkin’s pulp, enhancing their fine motor skills. These activities also help toddlers learn new words related to pumpkins, such as ‘stem,’ ‘seeds,’ and ‘carving.’
4. How do I involve kids in pumpkin carving?
Involving kids in pumpkin carving can be a fun and creative activity that lets them express their imagination. Choose the right pumpkin and prepare the workspace. Sit with your child and discuss different design ideas. Use a washable marker to draw the chosen design on the pumpkin. Cut off the top of the pumpkin, ensuring the opening is wide enough for easy access, and help your child carve out the design.
Fall is a beautiful season to engage your little ones in fun activities around pumpkins. The infographic below includes some creative pumpkin activities to help your toddler and preschoolers grow and develop. So, let’s enjoy the winter with these activities for your little ones.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- To encourage your child’s creativity, engage them in pumpkin activities such as pumpkin clay modeling and creating pumpkin mummies and paper lanterns.
- If your child is interested in painting, you could teach them pumpkin painting and pumpkin stamps creation.
- Further, visiting a pumpkin farm and decorating pumpkins for Halloween with your child can be fun and interesting activities.
Let’s get creative this Halloween! Join us for easy paper pumpkin crafts and Halloween crafts for kids. Get ready for some spooky fun!
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Pumpkin Dots – Fine Motor Activity for Toddlers;
https://diyunlimitedfun.wordpress.com/2016/11/08/pumpkin-dots-fine-motor-activity-for-toddlers/
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