Fun-Filled Pumpkin Activities for Home or School
Plan a Day Filled Filled With Pumpkin Themed Activities
Oct 14, 2009
Planning a day of pumpkin activities is very simple to do. Taking the time to put together some ideas and thinking about how fun ways to discover is all that is needed. Here are some tried and tested activities to make Pumpkin Day a success.
Morning Pumpkin ActivitiesThe morning is the best time to plan activities that need require more focus. Using this time of the day will be important when tackling some activities that require more attention.
Pumpkin Hats: Making a hat is a fun way to start Pumpkin Day. Simply write Pumpkin Day on a band of construction paper. The band should be long enough to wrap around a child's head. Then have the child draw and colour pumpkins on the paper or on a separate piece of paper, cut out the pumpkin and glue onto the original paper.
This is a good activity to keep children busy so to prepare the next activity.
Pumpkin Experiments: Find out if a pumpkin will sink or float. Demonstrating with other items about sinking and floating, ask what the children think will happen with a large pumpkin. If it is a large group, make a tally of how many think the pumpkin with float and how many think the pumpkin will sink.
Measuring the Circumference of a Pumpkin: Looking at two pumpkins side by side, ask the children which pumpkin do they think is bigger around. Explain the term people use when talking about how round an item is, is called circumference. Then either taking a measuring tape or yarn, measure how many centimetres or length around the pumpkin each pumpkin. Then compare the findings.
What Does the Pumpkin Feel Like on the Outside: Ask the children to take the time to find out what words can describe how the pumpkin's skin feels. Some answers may be: bumpy, lumpy, smooth or cold.
What is Inside the Pumpkin: Talk about what the children think is inside the pumpkin. What colour is inside and what do the children think it will feel like. Then cut off the top of the pumpkin and look inside. Have each child scoop out pumpkin seeds. Then using an egg carton start to fill each container with seeds counting the seeds in groups of ten.
Once done, ask the children to wash their hands and draw on a piece of paper what each saw inside the pumpkin. Make sure to keep the seeds to roast once rinsed and dried.
Carve out a Jack-O-Lantern: Take the time to find out what type of face the children would like for the Jack-O-Lantern. Then using a special pumpkin carving knife, carve out a face. Extend the activity by having the children draw the face of their jack-o-lantern.
Read a Pumpkin Book: Here are a few pumpkin books to read with the children.
In Search of the Perfect Pumpkin by Gloria Evangelista [Fulcrum, 2009] is a great book about a family looking for the perfect pumpkin to make the perfect pumpkin pie.
The Bumpy Little Pumpkin by Margery Culyer [Scholastic Inc, 2009] is a story about a girl who finds the perfect bumpy and lumpy pumpkin but her siblings think it is too small. But sometimes it is the small packages that have the biggest ideas.
Afternoon Activities
The afternoon should be the time to talk about what happened during the morning activities. What did the children find out about pumpkins that they did not know before? Then move onto other activities such as:
Pumpkin Foods: Find out what types of pumpkin foods can be made. Come answers can be: muffins, pies, cakes or loaves.
Make a Pumpkin Treat : Plan on making a pumpkin treat either a pumpkin pie or a simple pumpkin mousse. The recipe calls for pralines and with children and nut allergies, this ingredient can be omitted.
Watch a Movie: Rent the movie It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! by Charles M.Schulz [1966] This movie classic is a wonderful way to end the day of pumpkin activities.
Planning a day of pumpkin activities is a fun way to learn more about this interesting squash. Taking the time to make a pumpkin mousse, measuring the circumference of the pumpkin or finding out if it can sink or float are all fun ways to discovery more about this popular fall squash either at home or at school.
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