mini pumpkin decorating for kids

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In my area, October means the weather is changing and pumpkins are everywhere!

In my classroom we have a Harvest party in October, and another thing I like to do is have a bit of fun with real pumpkins!

We learn about emotions and expressions at the same time with this mini pumpkin decorating for kids activity!

I love mini pumpkins, and the kids do too! There is just something about them (probably that they are mini, bright, and cute) that is so fun!

I always pick up some to bring to my classroom each October. They fit perfectly in a child’s hands!

After reading our favorite pumpkin books, we talk about how people put faces on or carve pumpkins to decorate them. While we don’t celebrate Halloween at our school, I tie in a bit of learning about expressions and emotions so that we can still decorate some pumpkins just for fun!

First, we use the printable page to draw expressions on our pumpkins. The pumpkins are happy, silly, scared, angry, or confused. You can also brainstorm other emotion words!

We talk about how we can draw shapes to show those emotions, and then get to work designing them on paper!

Then, we pick which expression we want to draw on our mini pumpkin to take home!

I give them sharpies (black or colored too) to design their pumpkin.

You could do this in small groups to monitor the Sharpie use, however when I show them how to use them and explain we are VERY careful with permanent markers, it tends to go very well!

The result is so fun! Happy pumpkins, silly pumpkins, mad pumpkins, you name it! They will have lots of personality! I like to keep them in the room on display for a day or two, and then I send them home!