Play and learn with pumpkins this fall. 36+ Educational pumpkin activities for kids to teach math, science, and creativity.
Affiliate links
Educational Pumpkin Activities for Kids
Educational pumpkin activities are a great way to teach kids about science, math, and art. They can also help kids learn about the importance of recycling and composting. Here are some of the benefits of doing educational pumpkin activities for kids:
- Science: Kids can learn about the life cycle of pumpkins, from seed to plant to fruit. They can also learn about the different parts of a pumpkin and how they function.
- Math: Kids can practice counting, measuring, and sorting when they are carving pumpkins. They can also learn about basic geometry concepts, such as shapes and angles.
- Art: Kids can express their creativity when they are carving pumpkins. They can also learn about different art techniques, such as painting and sculpting.
- Recycling and composting: Kids can learn about the importance of recycling and composting when they are carving pumpkins. They can also learn about the different ways to recycle and compost.
These activities can be a lot of fun for kids, and they can also help them learn about important topics.
Educational Pumpkin Activities for Kids to Teach MATH
- Line the pumpkins up by size. Smallest to largest
- Count the pumpkins.
- Put a number sticker on each pumpkin. Have the students line up the pumpkins in numerical order.
- Measure how tall and wide each pumpkin is. EASY: Use snap blocks to measure using non-standard forms of measurement. You can also use a ruler.
- Estimate how heavy the pumpkin is. Then, weigh the pumpkin with a kitchen scale.
- Double digit subtraction. Step on the scale. Write your weight down. Then step on the scale holding a pumpkin. Subtract the number to find out how much your pumpkin weighs.
- Count the number of lines on each pumpkin. Compare. Do the bigger pumpkins have more lines?
- Make a pumpkin pattern path.
- Use a string to measure the circumference of the pumpkin. Set the string down on a yard stick to measure how many inches around the circumference is. Make a chart with all your pumpkin circumferences.
- Estimation. Pull out a handful of seeds. Take a quick look, then estimate how many seeds you think there is. Count to check.
- Cut open a pumpkin. Remove the seeds. Have the children count how many. *hint* make groups of 5 or 10 to add in another math skill!
- Clean and dry the seeds. Use them on a 100 chart to make 100.
- Play Roll & Stamp Pumpkin Patch learning game.
- Make a pumpkin GEO board. Hammer golf tees into the pumpkin. Use rubber bands to create geometric shapes.
- Before carving the pumpkin, make choices. Allow children to vote on what they would like to see carved. Example. Triangle, circle, or square nose. Graph the results of the voting, then carve the one that received the most votes.
- Make a pumpkin catapult. Measure the distance the pumpkin pieces launch.
Educational Pumpkin Activities for Kids to Teach Science
- Put a battery operated candle or flashlight in a pumpkin filled with holes. Turn the lights off and observe the lights and shadows.
- Create a pumpkin sensory bin.
- Make a sensory bag with pumpkin seeds and guts (for kids to touch without getting gooey)
- Set a pumpkin next to a paper outside. Trace the outside at different times during the day.
- Explore the pumpkin insides. Teach children the vocabulary: stem, Soil, seeds, cover, water, sunlight, roots, shoots, ground, sprout, vines, leaves, buds, harvest, seeds, pulp, estimate
- Plant the seeds and watch them grow.
- Paint 3 pumpkins in 3 different colors (making sure to use black for one) and set them in the sun. Observe the changes and discuss them.
- Keep a journal of the pumpkin plant seed growth.
- Heat and property changes: use a hair dryer to melt crayons on pumpkins.
- Allow the pumpkin to decompose.
- Go on a virtual field trip to a Pumpkin Patch.
Pumpkin Activities for Kids to be Creative
- Paint the pumpkins.
- Paint the pumpkins on a spinner (cover the spinner with saran wrap to decrease the clean up time afterwards)
- Put stickers on the pumpkin.
- Let kids decorate the pumpkins with play dough.
- Read a book, paint the pumpkin to look like a character. These are also known as Storybook Pumpkins
- Cut a stem off the pumpkin and use it as a bowling ball for empty water bottles.
- Make a pumpkin volcano. Scoop out the insides, fill with baking soda, add in water. (be careful, this is a chemical reaction)
- Use potato head parts into holes. Make the holes by hammering golf tees in or with an electric drill.
- Make Washi Tape pumpkins.
- Make pumpkin ice cream.
- Cut pumpkins into chunks and let the kids stamp pumpkins with it.
You may also enjoy these pumpkin activities with your child…
