If you have a child with a special need or just a very young child, you still want to include them in the pumpkin decorating this season, but carving is out of the question. So what can you do to make fun, festive pumpkins that your neighbors will envy, without getting out the knives? There are plenty of ideas and fun ways to have fun with pumpkins.
Paint
Painting pumpkins is always an easy option. You can add a jack-o-lantern face without the knife by using black paint, or you can just make fun or silly faces using whatever colors you or your child wants. Paint on a cat face or the faces of family members. You can also paint the pumpkins in solid, autumn colors like reds and golds to match the colors of the fall landscape.
Glue
You can glue items onto pumpkins. Try using old Halloween costumes or pieces of old dolls to make fun and interesting pumpkin people or scary faces to line your front steps. Wigs, googly eyes and parts for Mr. Potato Head will all come in handy.
Classy Pumpkins
Decorate the pumpkins using ribbons and other sewing materials to design a more upscale style pumpkin. You can match it to the colors of the season, or to the colors of your home. Make plaid pumpkins, pumpkins decorated with all those spare buttons you have, or pumpkins with glitter.
Chalkboard Paint
This is the way we are going this year in terms of pumpkin decoration, and it comes to us via Real Simple. Chalkboard paint can be sprayed onto pumpkins and then your child can decorate her pumpkin with chalk, which can be erased if mistakes are made or your child changes her mind and wants to make a different face. This is perfect for our budding artist who is too young for paint and glue guns.
Fun can be had with pumpkins while remaining safe this Halloween. For more ideas, just head to your local craft store or use Google. There are endless ways to let your child get creative with pumpkins.