Great Pumpkin Theme and Activities


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Have some fun with pumpkins this Halloween! This is the perfect time of year to take a field trip to a local pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin Songs and Fingerplays

Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate (hold up fingers for pumpkins)
The first one said "Oh my! It's getting late" (slap face ala Home Alone)
The second one said, "There are witches in the air" (point)
The third one said "But we don't care" (shrug shoulders)
The fourth one said "Let's have some fun" (throw hand in the air)
Then "Ooooooh" went the wind (say softly)
And OUT when the lights (clap hands to the word "out" and say loudly)
And the five little pumpkins rolled outta sight. (roll hands)

I'm a Little Pumpkin (Tune: I'm a Little Teapot)
I'm a little pumpkin
Orange and round.
Here is my stem,
There is the ground.
When I get all cut up
Don't you shout!
Just open me up
And scoop me out!

We Are Pumpkins(Tune: Buffalo Girls)
We are pumpkins big and round
Big and round, big and round
We are pumpkins big and round. Sitting on the ground.
See our great big shining eyes,
Shining eyes, shining eyes
See our great big shining eyes, Looking all around.
See our great big laughing mouths
Laughing mouths, laughing mouths.
See our great big laughing mouths, Smiling right at you!

5 Little Pumpkins
5 little pumpkins at my door
A neighbor came and took one then there were 4
4 little pumpkins under a tree
Along came a farmer and then there were 3
3 little pumkins looked so new
I gave one away then there were 2
2 little pumpkins laying in the sun
Grandma made a pie now there is just one
I then made a jack-o-lantern, wasn't that fun?

Pumpkin Art Activities

  • Jack-O- lantern Carving - This is a fun and traditional party activity. The children can help plan the face maybe by drawing and designing prototypes, while the teacher can do the actual carving. Everyone can participate in the fun of removing the ooey gooey pulp, a great sensory activity. For safety purposes, you may wish to light up your new friend with a flashlight instead of a candle.
  • Paper Mache Pumpkins - Use an inflated balloon for the form. Dip newspaper strips in a wet mixture of flour and water and lay across the balloon entirely. Let dry. Paint and decorate as desired.
  • Finger Paint Pumpkin Color Mixing - Give children a pumpkin shaped cut out with fingerpaint paper. Have them fingerpaint with red and yellow paints and watch the paint turn orange.
  • Paper Bag Pumpkin - Fill a small brown bag half full of torn newspaper. Twist top of bag and secure with green pipecleaner. Children can paint the bag with orange paint. When try, add leaves to the pipecleaner.
  • Paper Plate Pumpkin - Provide children with construction paper, tissue paper, paint and other art supplies. Allow them to be creative and use the art supplies to create a pumpkin on a paper plate. This is fun for torn paper pumpkins, sponge paint pumpkins, tissue paper ball pumpkins, etc.
  • Pumpkin Pie Playdough
    • 5 1/2 Cups flour
    • 2 Cups salt
    • 8 teaspoons cream of tartar
    • 3/4 Cups oil
    • 1 1/2 oz. pumpkin pie spice
    • orange food coloring (2 parts yellow, 1 part red)
    • 4 Cups water
    Mix all ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until all lumps disappear. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Store in airtight container.

Pumpkin Math and Science

  • Inside a Pumpkin - Cut open a pumpkin and allow children to see what is inside. Provide spoons, bowls, etc. and allow children to explore and feel the inside of a pumpkin.
  • Sink or Float - Prepare a chart entitled "Will a Pumpkin Sink or Float?" Give each child a pumpkin cutout and ask them to place their pumpkin in whatever column they think will happen ("Sink" or "Float"). To find out what the answer is, drop a small pumpkin in a container of water and discuss results.
  • Pumpkin Measuring - Provide a variety of pumpkins in different sizes. Have children measure them with yarn. Talk about which one is the biggest around/smallest around. Compare other objects in the room with the length of string to see what items are longer or shorter.

Pumpkin Snacks

  • Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash seeds under warm water in colander. Mix together in bowl: 2 Cups seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 tteaspoon salt. Spread seeds on cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Use spoon to stir seeds from time to time while baking.
  • No-Bake Pumpkin Pudding - Have each child mix two tablespoons pumpkin pie filling, two tablespoons marshmallow creme, and one tablespoon whipped topping. This is a fun measuring and mixing activity. Be sure to check for child allergies first.

Other Pumpkin Fun and Resources