Need an absolutely perfect kids activity: meet painting pumpkins. This cross between process art and celebrating fall/Halloween is a magical moment for kids. Plus (don’t worry) this washable paint rinses right off in the second part of the activity.
What is painting pumpkins?
It may not look like much, but painting pumpkins is the reigning Halloween activity champion in my house.
That’s not a title that people can come by easily – considering we do A LOT of Halloween activities… but this one reigns supreme.
The basics: washable paint plus pumpkins. But of course, there’s a little more to it than just that.
RELATED: Looking for more Fall-themed ideas? Check out my FREE Fall Bucket List.
The Supplies
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- Washable tempera paint – this kind of paint is key and very washable
- Pumpkins
- Storage container / sensory bin (I used our 41 qt bin for this activity)
- Large paint brushes
- Optional: paint cups
The set-up tips for pumpkin painting for success
Yes, this is a simple activity: paint and pumpkins.
But…I have a few tricks up my set-up sleeve to help you be totally successful with this activity and not emailing the lady of the Internet photos of a disaster.
Tip 1: Pumpkins in a space where they can be safely painted without rolling away. Trust me you want the pumpkins contained… those babies will get away from you in a paint-covered hurry.
Place them in a sensory bin, storage container, kitchen sink, water table, or bath tub.
Tip 2: Give each child a wet washcloth. Hand each child over 20 months old (roughly) a wet cloth so they can manage messy hands and drips.
It’s pretty amazing how clean kids stay when they have the option to help their hands stay that way.
Tip 3: Have an exit plan in place (mine is the hose outside – but I’ll explain that next).
RELATED: Looking for more tips on painting with kids? Check out my guide-post.
Why have kids painting pumpkins?
This a process art activity.
Process art is a fancy way of saying: there is no expectation for how this project should look at the end and children have complete artistic license over it.
This is a really important type of art for children. During a process art activity, children are able to practice a lot of skills that they desperately need to develop:
- Making decision
- Being autonomous (no one tells them what to do)
- Honoring their creativity
- Making a plan and executing it
- Focus and concentration
- Imagination
When children are able to freely create art, they unlock a whole lot of skill development goodness.
How to end this activity (without a bigger mess)
There are two perfect ways to end this activity without a giant mess, headache, or paint covered pumpkins rolling down your hallway.
Hose: Take the pumpkins outside and hose them off. Have the kids grab sponges or brushes to scrub the paint off.
The washable paint will come off even if dried on the pumpkin. Have no fear!
Bath: If your pumpkins are small enough, take them to the bath. Fill up the tub and gently set the pumpkins in with your child. It’ll be just like a washing pumpkins activity – but with a little extra paint to get off.
Books to pair with a painting pumpkins activity
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Here’s a few book ideas to pair with painting pumpkins. Books and activities are kind of like peas and carrots. In this activity, kids are spending a lot of time staring (observing) pumpkins. These pumpkin books are some of our favorite books for learning more.
- The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
- Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
- Pumpkin Day by Candice Ransom
Frequently Asked Questions
If you use washable paint, then yes! Washable kids paint comes right off the pumpkins, even after it’s dried.
Remember, think “stages not ages” when considering an activity for your child(ren). In this activity, my kids are all having a blast at newly 2, 3.5, and 5 years old. This is a multi-age activity that works great with groups of children.
This is “washable tempera” paint. Tempera paint is often used in elementary schools – its vibrant but dries quickly and isn’t soupy or watery like other washable kid paint.
Have you ever had washable paint be not very washable? I have. Then I learned years ago that the secret is hand soap. Treat the stain first with hand soap and water. Rub and scrub the excess paint off. Add more soap and let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and wash like normal.
Susie Allison, M. Ed
Owner, Creator
Susie Allison is the creator of Busy Toddler and has more than 2.3 million followers on Instagram. A former teacher and early childhood education advocate, Susie’s parenting book “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting” is available on Amazon.
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