Pumpkin Decorating Alternatives

When I was 12 my parents let me carve my own pumpkin for the first time. I was beyond excited. As I was cutting away, my hand slipped on the slimy pumpkin and I sliced the fleshy part of my hand between my thumb and index finger. It was a fairly deep cut, but since it was Halloween night I refused to get stitches and made my dad fix it up with gauze so that I could go out.

All of these years later, I still have the scar.

Thanks to some creative minds, it is no longer expected to decorate pumpkins by carving them. We have some fun and easy pumpkin decorating alternatives that are safe to do with your kids!

Glitter Pumpkin

What you’ll need:

Newspaper
A pumpkin
Glue
Glitter (I got it from the dollar store)
Sponge Brush
Masking tape (optional)

Steps:

Optional – Tape the stem of the pumpkin to protect it from getting covered in glitter.
Cover the pumpkin with glue. Tip: Apply it liberally – it will dry clear and it will help the glitter stick better.
Cover in glitter. I did it by spooning it over the glitter container so that if any fell off, it would be caught in the container and I could use it again.
Shake off the excess glitter and allow to dry.

Chevron Pumpkin

What you’ll need:

Newspaper
Pumpkin
Scissors
Masking Tape
Spray Paint

Steps:

Use masking tape to create a design. I decided to do the chevron pattern which I found difficult to figure out. (I taped it on the table first.)
Make sure you press the edges of the tape down, especially in the grooves of the pumpkin, otherwise the paint will bleed through.
Spray paint the pumpkin and put it somewhere to dry.
When completely dry, remove the tape.

Tip: If you don’t want spray paint all over your hands, wear latex gloves.

Spray paint and Glitter

Spray paint your pumpkin and allow to dry.
Apply glue liberally to the area(s) you would like glitter.
Sprinkle the glitter over the pumpkin. Shake off excess. Allow to dry fully before moving it.

Tip: If you don’t have glitter on hand, use salt.

Moustache Pumpkin

Paint your pumpkin any coulour you’d like (or keep it orange) and tape or hot glue shapes on it.
Alternatively, you can have your child add stickers or colour it themselves with markers.

For more ideas visit our Pinterest page.

Have a safe and happy halloween!