How To Make Pumpkin Carving With Kids Easier This Halloween
What better way to get your family in the Halloween spirit than to carve pumpkins together! It is fun to be creative making your jack-o-lantern, but it can be a little difficult and messy especially with children. Taking the proper safety precautions and using easy shapes can help eliminate some of the stress. Here are some tips for picking out the perfect pumpkin and clean up tricks that will help make this process much easier with your kids!
The first step to creating an easy carving process is to pick out the perfect pumpkin. A local farmer stand or market is a great place to select from a unique variety of pumpkins with your family. While a few slight imperfections may not make a huge difference, here are a few things you should still keep a lookout for when selecting your pumpkin. Watch out for soft spots in the pumpkin because these indicate rotting which is not good for a lasting jack-o-lantern. When picking your pumpkin, look for one with smooth skin and a flat bottom. Bumpy skin can make carving difficult, but a smooth pumpkin creates the perfect canvas for your carving. Flat bottoms are important to keep your pumpkin standing upright. Keeping these tips in mind, you will be able to pick out a pumpkin with an easy carving surface to produce the best results.
Step 1: Pick the Perfect Pumpkin
After selecting the perfect pumpkin, you will need to pick out a shape to carve onto it. A detailed scene or face looks awesome, but a time consuming design will lose the interest of your child quickly. Choosing an easier design to carve will save lots of time. A marker can be a useful tool to quickly draw a simple face onto your pumpkin, but if you want something different, there are many easy templates available online. Your child can even pick out a simple design that interests them. Stores even sell stencil books that are perfect for carving pumpkins with your children. Here are some ideas for shapes your family can do this Halloween.
Step 2: Have Fun With Jack-O'-Lanterns Faces
A traditional jack-o-lantern grinning face is a great idea for your kids. The shapes are very simple, and if they mess up a little bit, it will just create a more unique face!
Another perfect shape for your children is a cat face. This cat is just a simple twist on the typical jack-o-lantern making it an easy change if your child does not like the other faces.
If you are up for a little bit of a challenge, an owl is an adorable design to put on your pumpkin. You and your family can even each make an owl creating the perfect decoration for your front porch this fall!
Step 1: Pumpkin Carving Safety
Pumpkin carving is a fun activity but can be quite dangerous. To avoid unnecessary emergency room visits, make sure to follow the proper safety precautions. Begin your carving in a well-lit area with a flat surface to work on. Make sure you keep your carving tools and hands dry because the more moisture there is the easier slipping will be. Small and slow controlled movements are the key to a safe carving process. There is no need to rush and make sure your child knows the proper way to hold and use the knife.
Even though your child may feel confident in their carving abilities, be sure to always supervise when they are using the carving knife. With proper supervision and safety advice, your children will stay safe while carving their pumpkin.
Depending on the age of your child, using a knife even with proper safety. If this is the case, do not feel like they can’t join in on the fun. Buy a smaller pumpkin with some paint and glitter to keep your kid occupied while carving the bigger pumpkins.
Especially with children involved, pumpkin carving can become quite messy, and clean up can seem like a big task. The pumpkin guts and seeds end up almost everywhere including the floors. To make cleaning these easier, lay newspaper or some sort of drop cloth like a garbage bag down on your table and floors. This will save you lots of time in your cleaning process. While you are carving, keep a trash can nearby to avoid having to pick up lots of trash later. After scooping out the pumpkins, your kids are sure to end up with some messy hands. Have some wipes on hand to be ready to clean them off after. With the beautiful fall weather, outdoors can be a beautiful, mess-free place to carve pumpkins with your family.
Given these tips and ideas, pumpkin carving does not have to be as time consuming and messy as before. This will make the activity enjoyable for family members of all ages, so get your family together to carve your own pumpkins. The children will love this festive fall tradition, and you will love how easy and quick it is using these tips!