Once the air starts to cool down and we see that first leaf drop, so many of us can’t help but dive into the world of pumpkins in some capacity. Pumpkin picking, pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin pie, or even creating a jack o’ lantern are all so much fun. If you’re looking a way to involve your toddler in the fall fun, we have some super fun and simple activities for you!
Get creative with decorating. Our toddlers may be a little too young for carving their own pumpkin but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t enjoy decorating a pumpkin. You can encourage them to decorate their pumpkin with stickers, colored tape, paint, or even googly eyes.
Pumpkin wash. After bringing home a few pumpkins, get a bucket or plastic container, a washcloth, scrubber, and some towels. Fill with water and tear-free soap and let your little one wash the pumpkin for you. This great activity came from the Busy Toddler and can be used for any gourd of that matter. You can practice following directions and talk about concepts such as dirty/clean.
Pumpkin “guts” sensory bag. If you are carving a pumpkin, save the guts! Put the seeds and “mush” in a quart or gallon sized plastic bag and show your child how they can move the seeds and smoosh the pumpkin guts around. This is a great idea for kiddos who are curious about pumpkins but aren’t comfortable with touching it just yet. You can practice words like “ew”, “wow”, “push”, “squeeze”, “seeds”, and “orange”.
Pumpkin stamps with mini pumpkins. Get some paint, mini pumpkins, paper, and mess-proof your table (or go outside) and let your little one “stamp” the paper with the pumpkin to create some great fall art.
Make a face (no carving required!). All you need is a dry erase marker. Encourage your child to draw body parts on their pumpkin such as a nose, eyes, and a mouth. If they would rather just draw their own “interpretation”, that’s fine too! This is a great activity to practice body parts.
Pumpkin picking. If you plan on going to a pumpkin patch or even your local supermarket, talk about the characteristics of the different pumpkins they see. This is a great time to talk about sizes, colors, textures, and shapes of pumpkins. You can ask your toddler to find a “little” pumpkin or a “white” pumpkin.
Fall is such a fun time of the year for everyone in the family! Whether you want to get messy, dive into a little science, teach about descriptions, or tune into your toddler’s creative side, pumpkins can be such a great learning opportunity. Regardless of which pumpkin plans you have for you and your kid, remember to follow your kid’s lead and enjoy yourself! !