# Halloween Mini Pumpkin Craft
> Kids paint mini pumpkins and gourds with finger paint and jumbo brushes, let them dry, then turn them into silly pumpkin faces using leaves, hay, googly eyes, pom-poms, Cheerios and foam stickers. Frugal, easy to set up, and could work at a toddler or preschool Halloween party.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/halloween-pumpkin-craft/
- Ages: 1–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 45 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: fine-motor, creativity, sensory-exploration, nature
- Cautions: nuts, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Mini pumpkins and gourds
- Finger paint
- Jumbo paint brushes (Melissa and Doug)
- Small bowls for paint (household)
- 1 piece Splat mat or old sheet (household)
- Leaves (optional)
- Hay (optional)
- Glue
- Googly eyes (optional)
- Cheerios (optional) (household)
- Pistachio shells (optional) (household)
- Tiny pom-poms (optional)
- Foam stickers (optional)
- 1 piece Rubber band (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of pistachio shells: Pom-poms or googly eyes (Both are already in the craft box and avoid nuts.)
- Instead of cheerios: Foam stickers (The author used both for mouths.)
- Instead of leaves: Whatever you have on hand (The author says you could easily switch the materials with whatever you have.)

## Safety
- Googly eyes, tiny pom-poms, Cheerios and pistachio shells are small parts and a choking hazard. Supervise closely, and for babies and young toddlers let an adult handle the small pieces.
- Pistachio shells are a tree-nut allergen. Check for nut allergies or swap in pom-poms or googly eyes.
- Finger paint and glue are not food. Use non-toxic, washable products and keep them away from mouths, especially with babies who get messy.
- Cheerios are food used as craft decoration. Don't let kids eat them off the pumpkins or the table.
- Supervise the messy play part at all times and wash hands and skin afterward.

## Before you start
- Pick up mini pumpkins and gourds (a pumpkin patch trip is part of the fun).
- Plan two sessions: paint first, then let the pumpkins dry (ours dried through the evening) before decorating.

## Steps
1. Spread a mat or old sheet on the floor and set out bowls of finger paint with jumbo brushes.
2. Paint the mini pumpkins and gourds all over.
3. Let the little ones get messy. Hands and feet can be the canvas too!
4. Set the painted pumpkins aside to dry completely.
5. Open the craft box and set out leaves, hay, glue, googly eyes, Cheerios, pistachio shells, pom-poms and foam stickers.
6. Glue on leaves and hay for hair. Wrap a rubber band around the stalk to hold leaves on.
7. Glue on googly eyes, pistachio shells or pom-poms for eyes.
8. Add Cheerios or foam stickers for a mouth.
9. Line up your silly pumpkins and show them off. Tada!

## Tips
- The Jumbo Brushes from Melissa and Doug were perfect for the baby's grasp. My 4 year old used them so she could lift off more paint than with the smaller brushes. Ha, she knows the shortcuts!
- The little one was too busy getting messy. She realized she herself was the canvas, so it was officially time for some messy play.
- You could easily switch the materials with whatever you have on hand in your craft box.
- The rubber band helps hold some leaves onto the stalk.
- Fun, frugal and easy to set up. It could work as an activity for toddlers and preschoolers at a Halloween party.
- The finished nature pumpkins would be fantastic for some small world play. (from readers)

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2012)

We have been having fun thinking up with Halloween crafts for kids and pumpkin activities for kids. Today's pumpkin activity for kids ais a fun, frugal and is easy to set up. A we say, we loved themed, seasonal crafts and activities - they are a great way to engage the kids, introduce new concepts and keep them happy and playing. This pumpkin activity could possibly work as an activity for toddlers and preschoolers at your next Halloween party. At our household we spent an afternoon at a nearby pumpkin patch and the kids picked out mini pumpkins and gourds for our home. They spent the whole afternoon playing and running through the maze and doing hay rides and hauling this mini wagon full of pumpkins. Big S couldn’t wait to get back home so she could start her pumpkin decoration. It was too late in the evening and we waited for the next morning to get crafty. Needless to say what a night that was – Mommy when is going to be morning? Can we do some now? Why can't we do it at night? Is it morning now? The morning after we got crafty.

### Pumpkin Activities for kids : Painting the pumpkins

- Finger paint
- Melissa and Doug brushes

Note : The Jumbo Brushes from Melissa and Doug were perfect for the baby's grasp . My 4 year old used them so she could lift off more paint with them than the smaller brushes. Ha, she knows the shortcuts !

 Once they finished painting the pumpkins, Big S did all of them, the little one was too busy getting messy. She had realized she herself was the canvas. It was officially time for some MESSY PLAY.

 We let them dry through the evening and started our decorations soon after. Big S has her box with all her crafting materials and here's what we found. This is what had in our craft box. You could easily switch the materials with whatever you have on hand.

- Leaves
- Hay
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Cheerios
- Pistachios Shells
- Tiny pom poms
- Foam stickers
- Rubber band

The leaves and hay made the hair for a few fellas. The rubber band helps hold some leaves onto the stalk.

 Googly eyes, pistachios shells and pom-poms for the eyes.

 Cheerios and foam stickers made the mouth. Drumroll.... Tada!

 It was so much fun to turn these mini pumpkins into silly pumpkins. Hope these inspire you and you all have as much fun as we did with decorating pumpkins. Happy Halloween y’all.

Thanks for reading

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