We all love finding the perfect pumpkin in the pumpkin patch on a beautiful fall day, but we aren’t always sure what we’re going to do with it once we find it. Do we paint it? Do we carve it? What do we carve in it? What do we do with it afterwards? We’re here to help you mix it up a little bit! This year consider other fun options for your pumpkins outside of the traditional painting or carving project. Now, don’t get us wrong, those options are as good as ever, but we think you may like some of these other ideas just as much!
1.Decorate with them
The perfect pumpkin may very well not need anything done to it at all! Set beside a fall decoration, a bale of hay or even a whole set of decorating pumpkins (come see our selection!) your pumpkin will look perfect on a porch or in your yard.
2. Carve it
We all love carving pumpkins and playing with the gooey inside. So, break out that old carving set and get to work! Bonus points here if you turn your carved pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern.
3. Paint it
If you’re not so into the mess, painting your pumpkin is a good option. Pro tip: if you use glow in the dark paint you can create the illusion that you carved it!
4. Wax it
Now you might be confused. Wax it? Try melting some crayons down to liquid wax and dump the wax carefully over the pumpkin. You can make cool rainbow designs and have a unique pumpkin all of your own! Be careful letting the little ones do this on their own as the wax will be hot.
5. Smashed pumpkin painting
Parents, we can’t promise you’ll love the process, but the kids will! For this decoration idea, get a large poster board and put it on the ground outside. Let the kids smash the pumpkins on the poster board and create a messy masterpiece. If it doesn’t get too dirty from being outside you can hang it up!
6. Oozing pumpkin
This is a must try where the science fair meets fall fun! With a few household ingredients you can turn your carved pumpkin into the coolest on the block. Check out this helpful video by Steve Spangler for step by step instructions.
7. Cook with them
The best part about cooking with pumpkins is that you can actually use it as decoration for a while and then cook with it, so nothing goes to waste!
8. Pumpkin seeds
Have you ever thought about flavoring your pumpkin seeds? You can make them in so many different varieties! After you cook your pumpkin seeds, try salting them, adding brown sugar, or even Cajun seasoning. Whatever your favorite flavor is, we challenge you to try and make your pumpkin seeds with that flavor!
9. Pumpkin French toast
What’s better on a fall morning than pumpkin French toast?! Here’s a great recipe from Yummy Inspirations.
10. Decorate them with fall leaves or stickers
If all you want to do is use them as decoration pieces on the mantle or porch, that’s totally okay! If you’d like to go an extra step and make them even more fall oriented, try gluing some fallen leaves to them or just use leaf shaped stickers.
11. Use them as a planter
What’s better than fall decorations and fresh flowers? That’s what you get with the pumpkin planter! Cut the top of it off, clean it out, and put fresh flowers inside.
12. Bird feeder
This fun option keeps your pumpkin decorations around a lot longer and they serve a bigger purpose! Cut the pumpkin in half and either put a net around the bottom or punch holes through the bottom of the pumpkin and put strings through it. Then tie the pumpkin to the tree with the strings and add bird food. Now not only do you have pumpkin décor in the yard, but you get to meet some bird friends too!
13. Bowling
Whether your entertaining a bunch of little ones or need fun for the whole family, this is sure to get some laughs out of the entire group. For this game, set up “pins” on the side walk or in the grass. Your pins can be cans, bottles, tall gourds, pretty much anything that is taller than the pumpkin and can stand up straight! Then, decide how long you want your lane to be, pick your perfect pumpkin ball, and get to bowling!
14. Crossword puzzle
This can be a fun way to help with word recognition and spelling. To make your pumpkin into a crossword puzzle, paint the entire thing with chalkboard paint. Then with chalk, have the kids create words around the puzzle, and then fill in the blanks with random letters. To make it more fun, have at least two people do it so they can switch pumpkins and complete each other’s crossword puzzles.
No matter what option you try, be sure to take a picture and either send it to us or tag us in it #christianwayfarm for a chance to be featured on our page! We look forward to seeing you out at our patch, picking your favorite pumpkin. Come see us Mondays – Saturdays beginning at 10 AM, now through mid-November (weather permitting).
