When you have young kids you may like to look for pumpkin carving alternatives. These no-carve pumpkin faces are so easy to make that you will want to create a whole collection of faux Jack’O’Lanterns.
I’m a big fan of decorated pumpkins. I hardly carve ours. Instead I paint them.
No sharp objects, just safe tools and materials for our family. Especially after a carving knife broke and almost hit me in the eye.
This was years ago and since then I bough better quality carving tools, but I still hold the fear inside me when it comes to carving. I wear now protecting googles and tell my kids to step away from the table.
I know, silly. But this is what fear can do of people.
Anyway, needless to say I prefer decorating pumpkins instead. That’s why I put together a list of 21 no carve pumpkin ideas for kids as well as a collection of 25 painted pumpkins for kids.
My son handed me his bag so I could take a peek. He was super excited. This was his latest treasure. I opened the bag and looked inside. A little pumpkin – all covered in mud.
He had been on a field trip to an apple orchard earlier that day and picked that pumpkin himself. Now he wanted me to wash it and take out the paints and brushes.
After all, I had started a painted pumpkin tradition a few years back which led to my boys’ interest in painting their own little pumpkins. (This list of 25 painted pumpkins for kids has some of our own pumpkins. )
I knew painting the pumpkins would turn into a messy little project, like any other painting project. I wasn’t eager to give the kitchen another scrub but I didn’t want to put him off, either. So I came up with another fun idea: faux Jack O Lanterns.
I had just used black contact paper that morning to make Ghost apple treats for Halloween and they turned out great. Why wouldn’t it work on pumpkins, too?
I drew eyes, a nose and a smiley face, cut them out and stuck them onto the little pumpkin. My son loved it. So I did.
Such an easy trick to decorate pumpkins and make them look festive for Halloween.
I went ahead and turned all our pumpkins into faux Jack’O’Lanterns. All the little pumpkins we have by the fireplace and the big ones in front of the house.
Yes, this year I chose not to paint them anymore, only because I fulfilled my love for painted pumpkins with these butternut people.
No-carve pumpkin faces
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This is a great Halloween activity for preschoolers and kindergartners to practice their scissors skills and perfect if you want to avoid the messy project of making real Jack’O’Lanterns.
Supplies:
- pumpkins,
- black contact paper,
- pencil,
- scissors
How to make no-carve pumpkins
Step 1: Start by draw a Jack’O’Lantern (eyes, nose and mouth) on the contact paper.
Step 2: Cut out all the elements: the eyes, nose and mouth.
Step 3: Stick them onto the pumpkins.
TIP: You can use real pumpkins as well as plastic ones.