# Candy Pumpkin
> Paint a small pie pumpkin in rainbow stripes, then let kids squeeze dabs of white glue onto it and stick on colorful candy bits, matching each candy to the stripe of the same color. Candy that won't stick turns into a fun glue slide.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/pumpkin-activities-kids-candy-pumpkin/
- Ages: 3–8 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 10 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 2 kids
- Skills: colors, color-matching, fine-motor, creative-thinking, art
- Cautions: food-dye, ingestion-risk, wheat-gluten

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 piece Small pie pumpkin
- Water-soluble acrylic paint in rainbow colors
- Paintbrushes
- White school glue
- Squeeze bottle
- Assorted colorful candy bits
- 1 piece Tray or large plate (household)

## Safety
- Small candy pieces are a choking hazard. Supervise closely, especially with children who still put things in their mouths.
- This is art, not a snack: don't eat candy once it has been near glue or on the painted pumpkin.
- Check candy labels for allergens. Many candies contain food dyes, and some contain wheat, gelatin, dairy, soy or nuts.
- Acrylic paint can stain clothes, so use smocks or old shirts.

## Before you start
- Paint the pumpkin in rainbow-colored sections with acrylic paint (an older child can do this) and let it dry completely.
- Pour a small amount of white glue into a squeeze bottle for each child.
- Set the dry painted pumpkin and the candy pieces out in a tray as an invitation to create.

## Steps
1. Paint the pumpkin in rainbow stripes and let it dry.
2. Set the painted pumpkin and a tray of colorful candy bits out on the table.
3. Squeeze small dabs of glue onto the pumpkin.
4. Stick a candy piece onto each glue dab, matching the candy color to the pumpkin stripe.
5. If a candy won't stick, smear on more glue and let it slide down the pumpkin.
6. Turn the pumpkin and decorate the other sides.
7. Let the glue dry, then display the finished candy pumpkin.

## Tips
- Pour a small amount of glue into a squeeze bottle for controlled, precise gluing. Occasionally giant puddles of glue get made anyway!
- Not all candy sticks. The gummy (gelatin-based) candy had a hard time staying on, and so did the Sweetarts.
- The children made the non-sticking candy the highlight: they smeared glue and played glue slide with the candy bits, and it was oh-so-fun.
- Painting the pumpkin in rainbow colors is so much fun that you can have an older child do it.
- Plan to use candies your child isn't very interested in. Ours turned into a hunt for all the colorful candy bits.
- Starting with a painted pumpkin really adds to the finished product. (from readers)

## FAQ
**What kind of paint did you use?** Water-soluble acrylic paint.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

We are enjoying the candy activities series we are doing along side a few other bloggers. We participated in [**sensory activities with candy**](https://www.funlittles.com/play-dough-play-candy-monsters-2/), [**learning with candy**](https://www.funlittles.com/fine-motor-activities-learning-licorice/) and today we are creating art with candy. We are going to decorate a pumpkin with candy! First I initially used a pumpkin pie pumpkin and painted in multi colors. You can have an older child do this since the painting the pumpkin in rainbow colors is so much fun. Once dry I set out this colorful pumpkin and a bits of pieces of candy in a tray as an invitation to create! My initial plan was to include the candies my child are not very interested in Sadly though this pumpkin activity morphed into a bring in colorful candy bits.

### Pumpkin Activities : Invitation to create with candy and pumpkins



I poured a small amount of white glue in a squeeze bottle ( for controlled and precise pouring of glue) and were made as well the children used the bottles to apply glue on top of the pumpkin in small dabs occasionally giant puddles of glue were made as well)  They then proceeded to stick the pieces of candy on the glued part while taking care to color match the part of the pumpkin and the color of the candy. [**Learning colors**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/colors/) while creating art.



Well it so happened that not all the candy pieces adhered to the pumpkin. The gummy(gelatin-based) type candy had a hard time staying on and so did the Sweetarts.



The children however made this pumpkin activity more fun by making *that* the highlight. They smeared the pumpkin with glue and let the candy pieces which wouldn't stick slide down the pumpkin. Smear glue and play glue slide with the candy bits and it was oh-so-fun. It was a good example of creative thinking and the simple pleasures of play for a young child.

Some candy pieces did adhered and after color matching them to the rainbow sections ( almost!) they looked beautiful.



Here is another side which looked prettier!



Simple activity with a tiny bit of learning, right?

**Thanks for reading**

For more [**pumpkin activities for kids**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/halloween/) visit our category page

***Now go and check out what the other fab blogs did today***

**Erupting Art for kids** from Learn Play Imagine.

**[Starburst candy sculptures](http://www.housingaforest.com/starburst-candy-sculptures/)** from Housing A Forest

[**Candy Jewellery**](http://mamapapabubba.com/2013/10/10/candy-jewellery) from Mama.Papa.Bubba

[**Starburst Candy Mosaic**](https://www.mamamiss.com/blog/2013/10/10/starburst-candy-mosaic/) from Mamamiss