How to Make a Halloween Pumpkin
- Learning Resources Posted On Oct 8, 2021 | Seasonal Fun
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without pumpkins. Their bright orange colour is a symbol of the spooky season. We love pumpkins and have created a step-by-step guide to make your own Halloween pumpkin. But first, let’s learn a few fun facts about them.
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How to Make a Halloween Pumpkin
What is a pumpkin?
There are lots of different varieties of pumpkins and they come in different shapes, sizes, and colours. However, the most common one in the UK is the round, orange version that you see in autumn. Botanists (people who study plants) will tell you that pumpkins are actually a fruit! This is because of how it produces seeds. In a pumpkin the seeds grow on the inside.
But most people call it a vegetable. This is because it isn’t as sweet as many other fruits and tastes more like a vegetable. That’s why in supermarkets, pumpkins are found in the vegetable section. A pumpkin has a thick orange shell and is full of seeds and pulp. Its thick outer shell makes it ideal to carve. The seeds are often dried and make a delicious healthy snack, and the pulp is also yummy and used in lots of recipes.
What is a Jack-o-lantern?
A Jack-o-lantern is a decorative lantern which uses hollowed out pumpkins to create spooky patterns and designs. They are illuminated at night with a candle so that they light up and cast shadows. Pumpkins are the most popular type of Jack-o-lantern today. But did you know that traditionally, in Ireland and the UK, turnips, swede, or beetroot was used? Just like Halloween itself, the practice of carving pumpkins began in Ireland.
But, enough about the history, it’s time to get creative!
Easy pumpkin carving: a step-by-step guide
We’ve put together this helpful step-by-step guide to help you make a Halloween pumpkin. It includes some great uses for pumpkin flesh and even has tips on what to do with your pumpkin after Halloween.
Step 1: Pick out your pumpkin
Step one is child-friendly.
- Let them have fun and pick out their own pumpkins. But make sure it is large enough for you to work on. Another thing to watch out for is wrinkles. Too many and your design might not go to plan! While you can pick up a pumpkin at your local supermarket, there are plenty of pumpkin patches in the UK. Why not see if there are any nearby and make a fun day trip of it?
Step 2: Cut off the top
This step is strictly for adults.
- Using a knife, carefully cut the top off the pumpkin. Always cut away from you and others in case the knife accidentally slips.
Step 3: Scoop out the insides
This step is suitable for the whole family.
- Use a large spoon and scoop out the seeds and fibres from the middle. Use our Handy Scoopers™ to develop hand strength and fine motor skills on this step too! These fibres are no good for eating so separate the seeds (more on that later) and pop the rest into the food or compost bin.
Step 4: Draw on your design
- Use a marker pen to draw on your design. This will be your guide when you carve.
- Let your little ones design theirs, then take over for the next step of carving the designs.
- To make it even easier, download your free pumpkin designs templates from Learning Resources below!
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