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Jack-O-Lantern Silhouette Sun Catchers

Oct 6, 201350,035 views
Crafts
Pumpkin Crafts for Kids: Jack-O-Lanterns Silhouettes Save
pumpkins with paper Save
pumpkin silhouttes for windows Save
window decor with pumpkins Save
pumpkin silhouttes for kids crafts Save
tissue paper pumpkin craft Save

by TurkeyMom in Crafts

Ages2–7 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessLow
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Kids rip fall-colored tissue paper and glue-stick it behind black jack-o-lantern cut-outs. Then you tape each pumpkin inside a black paper frame on a sunny window and add cellophane bits around it for a stained glass effect.

⚠️ Safety first

  • An adult handles the scissors and cuts the pumpkin shapes and frames. Older kids can cut their own with supervision.
  • Tiny bits of tissue paper and cellophane are a mouthing risk for toddlers, so supervise closely.
  • An adult tapes the frames and pumpkins to the window and adds any pieces that are out of reach. Don't let kids climb to reach high windows.

Before the kids arrive

  • Cut a basic jack-o-lantern from black paper for each child, with triangle eyes and nose and a toothy mouth. Older kids can cut their own.
  • Cut a square frame for each pumpkin from another sheet of black paper.
  • Cut a few small bits of cellophane if you're doing the stained glass background.

Steps

  1. Lay out the black jack-o-lantern cut-outs and square frames.

  2. Rip the fall-colored tissue paper into tiny bits together.

  3. Sort the bits by color if you like.

  4. Rub glue stick on the back of the pumpkin and press tissue paper bits over the face holes.

  5. Keep adding tissue paper until the eyes, nose and mouth are covered. Turn it over to admire your work!

  6. Tape the black frame to a sunny window.

  7. Tape the pumpkin inside the frame.

  8. Press small bits of cellophane onto the window around the pumpkin for a stained glass effect.

Tips

  • Glue stick was the way to go, since the tissue paper would really rip if regular glue was smeared.from the author
  • Ripping the tissue paper into tiny bits was the kids' favorite part, and it's a great fine motor activity.from the author
  • Have the kids sort the tissue bits by color first. It's great for color recognition.from the author
  • The pumpkin in its frame is already a beautiful sun catcher. The sunlight passing through those yellow-orange eyes is such a treat!from the author
  • Non anti-static cellophane was the best purchase: just press it to the window and it sticks. It comes in handy for many other crafts too.from the author
  • It works best on a window that gets lots of sun. On a sunny day these pumpkins make the whole room festive.from the author
  • A grandparent made these with the grandkids, and they had fun seeing the pumpkins in the windows at night too.from readers

Make it your own

  • Older kids can cut out their own jack-o-lantern faces.
  • Skip the cellophane and display the framed pumpkin on its own as a simple sun catcher.

Questions readers asked

Where can I get non anti-static cellophane?

The post doesn't say where the author bought hers. The materials list links a similar cellophane product. If yours turns out to be anti-static, the author suggests sticking it to the window with soapy water.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · October 2013
pumpkin cut outs for crafts for kids
For our pumpkin craft I cut out 2 Jack-O-Lanterns from black paper. I also cut out a couple of square frames from another black colored paper.
1 / 8

Jack-O-Lantern Silhouette Sun Catchers: the original post

What’s October without a fun pumpkins crafts for kids. Instead of a traditional orange pumpkin craft like we did last year we resorted to doing a fun silhouette pumpkin craft . It turned out to be a perfect kid- made window decor. To check out all our pumpkin crafts for kids visit our Halloween category page. Materials

pumpkin cut outs for crafts for kids If you have an older child you have him/her cut out a basic Jack- o- lantern cut outs. For our pumpkin craft I cut out 2 Jack-O- lanterns from a black paper. I also cute out a couple of square frames from another black colored paper. Together we ripped fall colored tissue paper into tiny bits. The kids loved this part and it was such a great fine motor activity. You also have them sort by color [great for color recognition ] I handed a glue stick to the kids and they gladly stuck the tissue paper to the back of the pumpkin cut outs so simple right? It was a perfect toddler pumpkin craft.

sticking tissue paper The kids decorated their pumpkins as they wished with colored paper. Every now and then my 5 year old would turn the pumpkin craft to admire her work! My toddler lived using her glue stick to adheres the tissue paper. Glue stick was the way to go since the paper would really rip if regular glue was smeared.

tissue paper pumpkin craft Here are the beautiful pumpkins the kids made - spooky cute?

silhouttes pumpkin crafts Then we taped the black frame to the window and taped the actual pumpkin inside the frame.

pumpkin silhouttes for kids crafts This in itself turned out to be a beautiful pumpkin sun catcher! The sunlight passing through those yellow-orange eyes were such a treat to look! On a sunny day these simple pumpkin crafts just make the whole room very festive! Well we did something more to make this pumpkin craft even more cuter..I cut out a few bits of cellophane paper and we decorated the outside of the pumpkin with them. Stained glass effect!

window decor with pumpkins The cellophane paper we had were not the anti- static ones and they turned out to be the best purchase since all we had to do was just simply press them to the window and they adhere so easily. If you have anti static cellophane you should be able to stick them with soapy water. If you can lay your hands on a “non anti-static” cellophane they will come in handy for many many arts and crafts projects for kids.

pumpkins with paper

Just love these guys!

pumpkin silhouttes for windows

Thanks for reading

For more Halloween Crafts for kids and pumpkin crafts visit our category page

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What readers say

💬 7 comments ✍️ 2 answered by the author

🎉 Worked for us

Grandkids loved them, even at night

A grandmother made these with her grandkids. They had a great time making them and enjoyed seeing them in the windows at night.

“kids had a great time doing it and seeing them in the windows at night”
Diane, Nov 2014

🎉 Worked for us

Simple craft, stunning colors

A fellow blogger loved how simple and colorful the craft is, especially the colorful cellophane backdrop added around the pumpkin.

“I'm in love with the simplicity of it, and the colours.”
happyhooligans, Oct 2013

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 7 comments

  1. Diane · Nov 2014

    I did this with my grand kids. It was great and kids had a great time doing it and seeing them in the windows at night

  2. Jamelle · Oct 2014

    Where did you buy the non anti static cellophane paper?

  3. Stephanie @ Twodaloo · Oct 2013

    Girl, you have to know I'm crazy for suncatchers at this point. Thanks for linking up to Discover & Explore this week!

  4. TurkeyMomAuthor · Oct 2013 · replying to Stephanie @ Twodaloo

    I know! All your suncatchers are stunning! I'm severely lacking in that one great window with tons of sunlight. Or else I'll be totally with you with tons of sun catchers crafts.

  5. TurkeyMomAuthor · Oct 2013 · replying to happyhooligans

    Thanks a lot Jackie! You are very kind :)

  6. happyhooligans · Oct 2013

    Wow, wow, wow! This might just be the best craft I've seen all week. I'm in love with the simplicity of it, and the colours. And I think that colourful backdrop that you added at the last minute makes it just stunning!

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