Thursday 23 October 2014

5 Toddler-Friendly Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin (Love to Learn Linky #15)

As an annual Halloween tradition at our house, we always carve a pumpkin. And by we I mean I carve the pumpkin while the kids watch and try to eat the pumpkin parts that I cut out. It's not much of a little kid's activity. So today I am featuring easy, toddler-friendly, no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas that kids can really get involved in.


5 Toddler-friendly ways to decorate a pumpkin

1. Paint the Pumpkin


Pumpkin painting is great for all ages and simple enough for even the youngest of kids.


Tips: Make sure you use tempera paint or any kid's washable paint. To help the paint adhere to the pumpkin, make a 50/50 mixture of school glue and paint. If you don't add glue, the paint will flake off after it dries. 

For a fun way to combine pumpkin painting and science, check out this Fizzle pumpkin painting activity from Toddler Approved.


2. Decorate the Pumpkin with Stickers


Stickers are very good for developing fine motor skills, and let's face it, all kids love stickers. I sure challenged my kids with these tiny stickers I bought at the dollar store.

You can make pumpkin decorating into a learning activity with this alphabet pumpkin idea from I can Teach my Child.

Here is another great literacy pumpkin idea from The Imagination Tree using letter and number stickers, plus check out the learning games you can play afterwards!

As an alternative to stickers, here is a neat idea from The Educators' Spin on It using a decorative tape called washi tape.


3. Make a Glitter Pumpkin



Glitter pumpkins look gorgeous, but they are a bit messy, so you might want to do this activity outdoors like we did. Have your child use a paintbrush to spread glue all over the pumpkin, then sprinkle glitter!


You can add even more bling to the pumpkin like in this idea from Domestic Goddesque. 


4. Glue Things to the Pumpkin



You can glue almost anything to a pumpkin! Pom poms, googly eyes, scraps of construction paper, tissue paper, buttons, feathers. 


Tip: I recommend using tacky glue, craft glue, or glue-all when gluing things to a pumpkin. 

Here is a gorgeous idea combining painting, glitter and gluing things on the pumpkin from The Imagination Tree.

It doesn't have to be craft supplies that you glue to the pumpkin. Here is a creative idea from A Little Pinch of Perfect, making a sensory pumpkin!

Go on a nature walk collecting Fall leaves and try out this clever decorating with nature idea from Stir the Wonder.



5. Hammer Things into the Pumpkin


This is one we haven't tried yet, but it sure looks fun!

Pumpkin Fine Motor Activity from My Nearest and Dearest

Cookie Cutter Pumpkins from Modern Parents Messy Kids




If you were featured, grab a button!

Love to Learn Linky


Visit my co-hosts to see all the other features!

STEAM Bored Jar: 48 Activities That Can Be Prepped in 5 Minutes or Less from Left Brain Craft Brain
50+ Toddler Activities for the Busy Toddler in Your Life from A Little Pinch of Perfect
20+ HAUNTED HOUSE Activities for Kids from One Time Through

LOVE TO LEARN LINKY
Love to Learn Linky

Now it's time for some more links! I hope you'll join me and a couple of friends for a brand new linky party!

Bloggers, link up your posts every Thursday and watch as we round them up and share them all over the place.

Almost anything goes, we're just hoping your activities teach kids (or us!) something. (science, art, cooking, behavior, crafting, parenting, etc...)

The Love to Learn Linky is Hosted by:

Totschooling: Viviana is a blogging mom to a toddler and a preschooler, sharing ideas and resources for early education. She specializes in unique, hands-on printable activities that are educational, fun and inspire creativity in young minds.
Left Brain Craft Brain: Anne is an ex-engineer, current stay-at-home mama writing about crafty ways to encourage creativity (and brain power!) in our kids. Each of her projects gives kids the chance to learn about a new subject and do something crafty at the same time.
http://www.alittlepinchofperfect.com/ A Little Pinch of Perfect: Katie combines creativity, play, and learning for the perfect mishmash of fun activities that keep kiddos entertained throughout the day. She wholeheartedly believes in the power of play and feels that all activities naturally provide a fun way to learn.

One Time Through: Sue is an Elementary School Teacher currently on leave to be at home with her preschooler son.  She shares ideas for connecting and learning with kids through meaningful, play-based activities that nurture curiosity and creativity.

Love to Learn Linky Etiquette:

  • Posts should be about educating our kids in any way - science, art, cooking, crafts, behavior, parenting, etc. Please keep them family friendly and please no Etsy shops or giveaways unless they are relevant to the topic.

  • Upload your direct post link to the InLinkz widget. Link up to 3 posts.



  • Post our button on your site.

  • By linking up, you agree to have your images shared with credit.

Link up and grab a button!
Love to Learn Linky



No comments:

Post a Comment