Are you looking for a fun and educational activity to do with your kids this fall? Then grab the one thing that screams “fall” more than anything: a pumpkin!
Not only are pumpkins a staple of the season, but they also offer a plethora of opportunities for play and learning, and, in this article, we’ll share 15 different ways you can play and learn with a pumpkin.
So, keep reading below to learn more!
1.Carving And Scooping
One of the most classic ways to play with a pumpkin is by carving it!
This activity is great for developing fine motor (see also: Motor Activities Using Pom Poms)skills and hand-eye coordination, but also a great opportunity to explore the texture and sensory properties of the pumpkin.
So, start by drawing a design, cutting the top, scooping out the insides, and carving the design using a small knife or carving tool.
Once your pumpkin is ready, you can light a candle or battery-operated light inside for a spooky effect!
2.Finger Painting
Finger painting with pumpkin guts is another great sensory activity for young children.
You can start by cutting open your pumpkin and allowing your kid to explore the inside by scooping out the guts with their hands.
Then, you can dip your fingers in the pumpkin guts and create your own masterpiece on some paper. Just remember to wear old clothes and cover your work surface to prevent stains!
3.Pumpkin Face Game
This game is a fun twist on the classic memory game that you can play by cutting out different facial features from construction paper, such as eyes, noses, and mouths, and mix them up in a pile.
Then, have your child draw a pumpkin face and take turns picking out a facial feature from the pile to add to the pumpkin face, with the goal of creating a complete face without any duplicate features!
4. Pumpkin Guts Exploration
This activity is perfect for curious little ones who love to explore and discover new things as you’ll cut open a pumpkin and let them explore the inside with their hands.
Encourage them to describe the texture and smell of the pumpkin guts and have them count how many seeds they find or separate them by size or color.
You can even turn it into a science experiment by discussing the pumpkin’s life cycle and what happens to it as it decays!
5.Pumpkin Bowling
Use small to medium-sized pumpkins as bowling balls, set up some empty soda bottles or other objects as pins and take turns rolling the pumpkin toward the pins and see how many you can knock down.
Have fun bowling and, at the same time, work on your kid’s hand-eye coordination, gross motor (see also: Using Balls For Gross Motor Summer Learning)development, and social skills!
6.Pumpkin Seed Counting
Counting and sorting pumpkin seeds is a great way to promote math skills and hand-eye coordination, so carve a pumpkin, set the seeds aside, spread them out on a table or tray and have your child count them!
7.Pumpkin Seed Sorting
You can also have your child sort the seeds by color or size, which can also help them develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
And if you’re feeling hungry after all the counting and sorting, you can roast the pumpkin seeds for a delicious snack!
8.Pumpkin Seed Art
Get creative with your pumpkin seeds and turn them into beautiful art!
First, clean and dry your pumpkin seeds. Then, provide your child with glue, paper, and a variety of colorful paints and have them glue the seeds onto the paper and use the paints to create designs and patterns.
9.Pumpkin Spice Sensory Bin
Create a pumpkin spice sensory bin for your child to explore and play with by filling a shallow container with dried beans, rice, or oats and add pumpkin spice for a delicious scent.
Then ask your little one to dig through the sensory bin with their hands and explore the different textures and scents.
10.Pumpkin Volcano
With baking soda and a few drops of food coloring and vinegar to the bottom of the pumpkin, you can create a fizzy, colorful eruption and turn this into a learning experience by discussing the science behind the reaction and how volcanoes work.
Needless to say, your kid will love it!
11.Pumpkin Pounding
If you have a toddler or preschooler at home, then you should definitely do some pumpkin pounding!
In a large container, put some small pumpkins or gourds and then ask your little one to pound on the pumpkins and gourds with a hammer to release any pent-up energy.
This activity is not only fun, but it also promotes hand-eye coordination, gross motor development, and sensory exploration as your child feels the different textures and sounds.
12.Pumpkin Tic Tac Toe
Play the classic game of tic tac toe using small pumpkins and gourds!
To do it, simply draw a tic tac toe board on a piece of paper or use chalk to draw it on a sidewalk or patio. Then, use small pumpkins or gourds as the game pieces.
Take turns placing your pumpkin or gourd on the board until someone gets three in a row and have fun while teaching your kid about strategy and critical thinking!
13.Pumpkin Ring Toss
Another idea to promote hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and critical thinking is to create a DIY pumpkin ring toss game using a pumpkin and some rings.
To do this, cut off the top of a large pumpkin and set it on a flat surface and use plastic rings or make your own using pipe cleaners to toss onto the pumpkin.
14.Pumpkin Spice Playdough
Making pumpkin spice playdough is a fun and sensory activity that your child will love.
All you need is some flour, salt, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, vegetable oil, and food coloring that you can mix together and cook over medium heat until the mixture forms a ball.
That bowl is the perfect playdough for your kid, and together you can create different shapes, and/or learn about measuring and mixing ingredients.
15.Pumpkin Patch Scavenger Hunt
Last but not least, what could be more fun than a scavenger hunt with pumpkins?
All you have to do is take your child to a local pumpkin patch and create a list of items to find, such as different types of pumpkins, hay bales, scarecrows, and corn stalks!
The Bottom Line
With these 15 ideas and many pumpkins, you can have endless fun with your child and learn new skills together!
Hey y’all! My name is Suzy, and I am the founder of SuzyHomeschooler.com. I have homeschooled my kids since they were small, and both have gone on to go to college at wonderful schools.
This is what inspired me to create SuzyHomeschooler.com. It’s a place where I can share my experiences with others, and offer tools, advice, and guidance to all those in a similar position.
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