Pumpkin carving is a Halloween tradition, but with little ones underfoot you may balk at the mess, the time or the sharp carving tools necessary to pull off this feat! Luckily there are plenty of alternatives you can turn to that don’t require knives, open flames or frustration.
All Natural: Lucky for us, pumpkins possess a beauty all on their own! If you want to skip the carving and decorating altogether, a grouping of pumpkins in their natural glory can be a lovely display all through fall. There are plenty of different types of pumpkins to choose from if you want to add a little style, from classic orange pumpkins, white pumpkins, lumpy bumpy pumpkins and striped/variegated pumpkins. Leaving them in their natural state doesn’t have to be boring, and as a bonus an uncarved pumpkin won’t turn into a slimy, moldy mess by the time Halloween rolls around.
Stencils: Taping stencils (storebought or DIY) to a flat-fronted pumpkin makes it easy to create a simple or elaborate design. You can use kid-safe paints then spray a clear layer of polyurethane spray paint to protect the design from rain.
Hot Glue Guns: Though this should be done under parental supervision, hot glue is an excellent way to decorate. You can collect leaves, pom poms, fake spiders, mini-candy pieces – the sky is the limit! Hot glue dries almost instantly and will hold nearly any kind of item securely to the exterior of the pumpkin.
Spray Paint: Place the pumpkin inside a box and let your kiddos spray away! Gold or glitter spray paints, along with glow paints can be a fun and festive way to spice up a grocery store pumpkin.
What’s your favorite non-carved way to decorate a pumpkin? Or are you a carved pumpkin purist?
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