I really love Halloween. Not because it’s scary. Because it’s fun!
Carving pumpkins is HARD! I’ve been doing it for years as a nanny. Picking a pumpkin is almost as exciting as picking a Christmas tree. There are factors that need to be taken into account!
Pumpkin carving is the long game and I like that the children are part of it. It’s a great sensory activity, yes it feels yucky, but oh so fun! Even your toddlers can help with that bit. Putting down a wipeable table cloth and using chopping boards can help contain the mess.
Choosing a pattern can also be fun. Screen time with a purpose! Look at all the amazing designs others have used.
If you’re new to carving, pick a simple design.
Or why not draw or print a pumpkin outline for them to make up their own design? This is creative development, fine motor skills but also, if you encourage them to label it, it helps with writing opportunities.
For little ones, they can draw on the design with a marker for you to cut (I’m loving the no carve pumpkin trend) but for older children, making sure you talk about safety, they can certainly help carve it. The kits you can buy from local supermarkets have thin circular ones great for making holes. (See eyebrows in the pumpkin above)
Simple can also be effective!
Also, use the pumpkin to make food! To be honest, I’d mix it heavily with sweet potato because 1) you don’t get much pumpkin from one and 2) for children, the taste is helped with a little sweetness!
I love cooking with children, they learn fine motor skills and food hygiene/safety from chopping, they learn maths from weighing and measuring the water for stock, it’s science too! And a little bit of creativity when tasting and adding salt or herbs etc.
More to books…
Show me your pumpkin carvings!
Love Kat x
More to Books 