A pumpkin is all you need for a simple fall painting activity with preschoolers. The pieces carved from a pumpkin to turn it into a jack-o-lantern provide an opportunity for some fun process art.
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Carving a pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern is often an annual event at home and in the classroom. There’s so much to explore inside the pumpkin – discovering seeds, feeling pulp.
Related: Explore Seeds in Foods We Eat
Extend the fun of carving a pumpkin with a painting activity. Spread newspapers, get out the carving tools, and let the fun begin.
Note: Pumpkin carving tools for kids should be supervised by grownups.
The pumpkin pieces you remove will be in a variety of sizes and shapes: circle, triangle, rectangle. They are just right for an open-ended art activity, painting with pumpkin stamps.
This might become your favorite new tradition for autumn!
Painting with pumpkin stamps
1. Carve the pumpkin.
- Trim each piece to remove the pulp and create a flat surface to make an effective stamp.
2. Spread a large piece of brown wrapping paper or cardboard on the work area, outside if weather permits.
- Provide paper for individual paintings as well as one large sheet for a group activity.
3. Pour a variety of paint colors into a tray.
- If preferred, provide a separate tray for each paint color.
4. Press a pumpkin piece into the paint. Stamp onto the paper.
Guide the activity with comments about the designs the kids make with the pumpkin pieces.
- You painted a row of red triangles and a row of blue circles.
- What shape is your favorite?
- Let’s count the circles you made.
Extend the activity with simple challenges.
- Can you swipe a pumpkin piece like a paintbrush?
- Can you make the first letter of your name?
- Can you make a face with the stamps?
- Create a simple pattern with two or three pumpkin stamps. Ask your child to repeat the pattern.
- Encourage kids to create their own patterns.
Painting with pumpkin pieces is a fun way to extend your pumpkin carving activity.
Start your new pumpkin stamps painting tradition this fall. Kids will think it’s a cool idea!
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