Pumpkins are a popular fall decoration and craft theme. Halloween, Thanksgiving and harvest activities with pumpkins suit children of all ages, as well as Christian and secular needs. Teachers, group leaders and parents can use materials they have on hand to provide fun decorating and craft ideas with pumpkin cutouts.
Fall Treat Holders
Fold a sheet of orange construction paper in half. Trace and cut a pumpkin shape from the folded paper, making two same-sized cutouts. Staple or glue the shapes together, from about halfway down one side, around the bottom and to about halfway up the other side. This will leave a large opening to fill the pumpkins with treats. If children are making the treat holders, you may choose to punch holes around the sides of the pumpkin, holding the two shapes together. Have kids lace through the holes with plastic lacing or with yarn. Decorate pumpkins with markers or crayons as desired, or turn the pumpkins into Jack-o'-lanterns by gluing on facial features cut from yellow or black paper. If desired, glue or staple a paper strip to the top front and another to the top back of the pumpkin to make two handles. This cutout idea can also be used with craft foam or felt.
Two-sided Pumpkin Decorations
Decorate both sides of pumpkin cutouts to hang from a ceiling or in a window. Cut out pumpkin shapes, with stems, the size of a sheet of craft foam or construction paper. On one flat side of the pumpkin, glue on one-inch squares of fall-printed fabric to cover the entire surface. Tie a green ribbon around the stem. On the other flat side of the pumpkin, use the same idea with the fabric squares, or use a different craft method. Orange cotton balls, craft sand or painted pumpkin seeds can cover the surface of the pumpkin. Or, glue on jack-o'-lantern facial features. Punch a hole in the stem of the pumpkin and thread a length of ribbon through to tie into a hanger.
Pumpkin-shaped worksheets or flash cards will give children learning practice while using a seasonal theme. Cut out any sized pumpkins to make jigsaw puzzles with pieces appropriate to the children's ages. Make maze puzzles, easy word searches and crossword puzzles for elementary children. Cut out pumpkin shapes to make flash cards for any subject from simple counting and the alphabet to word families, parts of speech, telling time and other age-appropriate topics.
Cut two same-sized pumpkin shapes. Place both shapes together and fold in half at the center. Unfold the double-shaped piece and staple on the fold line. Arrange the four pieces to look like an X from the top. Staple a piece of yarn to the top edge of the 3-D pumpkin and hang in the classroom or at home. Cut four pumpkin shapes from paper or craft foam. Glue a pumpkin onto each side of a square box to use as a pencil holder, candy dish or centerpiece decoration.
- Photo Credit Halloween pumpkin image by michele goglio from Fotolia.com
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