During the Fall in New England, there is much to-do about PUMPKINS! This adorable pumpkin-inspired craft is also a great fine-motor muscle workout for preschoolers who like to cut, rip and stuff things into small spaces! And to top it off, it’s a great way to use recycled materials!
Pumpkin faces
Collect a bunch of clean, plastic water or soda bottles (one per child), and gather a variety of orange colored paper (construction paper, tissue paper .. or even felt or fabric).
Allow children to problem-solve HOW they can make the paper/fabric fit into plastic bottle opening. They can cut, tear, crinkle and stuff the orange paper/fabric into the bottle to fill it up. This is a good opportunity for children to practice cutting skills.
After the bottle is filled, invite children to make the shapes for a pumpkin face out of black paper. You can pre-cut some shapes for younger preschoolers – or allow older preschoolers to draw these shapes themselves with a white pencil and then cut them out. Use scotch tape or glue to stick them onto the bottle.
Top it off with a green pipe cleaner stem!
Cut a wide hole in the bottom of a pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and flesh. Paint the pumpkin with black craft paint. Let dry, then using a pencil, trace the inside of a cat cookie cutter onto the center of the pumpkin. Place the cookie cutter on the shape you just traced and tap lightly with a rubber mallet until it cuts through the pumpkin.