A painting activity is a sure-fire way to engage toddlers in hands-on fun and learning and makes for a perfect Fall or Halloween activity for toddlers. Get a little messy with this pumpkin painting activity kids will love.
Painting with Pumpkins Toddler Activity
Fall is all about the pumpkins, and there are so many ways to enjoy them. Kids love choosing the biggest one at the farmer’s market and carving a spooky face. We have previously made pumpkin prints using apples, but this one uses real pumpkins which makes it a lot of fun!
Pumpkins are also fun to explore in crafts and activities. Using part of the pumpkin as a painting tool combines a fun painting activity with exploring nature during the fall season. After this, you should try our easy yarn pumpkin craft too!
If you want to incorporate a book into your toddler activity then Pop Up Peekaboo Pumpkin is a good one. You can get that one HERE from Amazon.
We would love to see some photos of your activity – share them in our Facebook group or on Instagram (tag @myboredtoddler and use #MyBoredToddler so we can see – I’ll share some of my favorites).
If you want some encouragement to do some Halloween crafts with your toddlers why not join our FREE 5 Day Halloween craft challenge.
What you need for this painting with pumpkins toddler activity
- pumpkins (we used small one but big ones would work too)
- Orange paint - we like this washable one
- knife (adult-use)
- plate to put the paint on
- white construction paper
How to paint with pumpkins
The pumpkin you choose for this activity should have a stem that can be used as a handle by your toddler.
Before you begin, protect your surfaces and clothing. Spread a drop cloth on your work area (you can get a Halloween themed one like this), and wear paint aprons or old shirts over your clothing.
- Carve the top from your pumpkin.
- Trim the bottom of the lid to remove any seeds or pulp that cling to the lid, and make it flat and smooth.
Your toddler might want to take time to scoop out the seeds from inside the pumpkin! This is a great sensory experience and learning opportunity.
- Pour orange paint into a foam tray or large plastic lid.
- Dip the pumpkin top into the paint and transfer it to the paper.
Your toddler can spread the paint in different ways: by stamping with the pumpkin top, by twirling the handle, or by sliding the pumpkin top around.
Make one large pumpkin or several smaller ones.
You’ll need lots of paper for pumpkin stamping, to ensure your toddler enjoys as much time and space as possible with this activity.
Large sheets of used wrapping paper or recycled pieces of cardboard provide awesome surfaces for kids to paint on.
Talk about the painting your child makes.
- What shape is your pumpkin?
- Let’s count the pumpkins on the paper.
- Where are your pumpkins growing?
When the paint is dry, you might want to add features to one of the pumpkins to turn it into a jack-o-lantern for a fun Halloween decoration.
With harvest time bringing lots of pumpkins to farmer’s markets and grocery stores, this painting activity is a fun way to explore the fall season.
We would love to see some photos of your activity – share them in our Facebook group or on Instagram (tag @myboredtoddler and use #MyBoredToddler so we can see – I’ll share some of my favorites).
Some more posts you may enjoy:
Pumpkin Activities for toddlers
Fall Sensory Bins for Toddlers
About the Author:
Heather is a former preschool teacher and founder of preschooltoolkit.com, a website providing early learning resources for teachers and parents. She focuses on creating fun crafts and activities that engage developmental skills while promoting hands-on learning through play. Follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Google+
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