If you are looking for sensory activities for your little ones this fall then why not experiment with some pumpkins, gourds or the like? Here are a few, fun, pumpkin-related activities that are sure to get your preschooler (and some of your older ones) excited about fall!

 

  • PUMPKIN SEED ART

 

After carving a pumpkin for fun or for eating, save those seeds! Dry them out on a cookie sheet and save. Placing them in a mason jar will work just fine. If your older ones want to help with prep, have them color them with food coloring. Have them fill several different disposable cups with ½ cup of cold water, 1 Tablespoon of vinegar and a few drops of food coloring. Pour in seeds and let them sit for two hours. Drain them and let them dry out on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Now, the fun can begin for the little ones! Give your child a blank piece of construction paper and some Elmer’s glue and let them make a fun design. Before the glue dries, have them place the seeds on the paper. Save the remaining colored seeds for another day!

 

  • PUMPKIN WINDSOCK

 

All that is needed for this fun craft is a piece of orange construction paper, a piece of string, a holepunch, a stapler and several fall-based colors of streamers or ribbons. Hold the paper up vertically and staple the sides together. Punch two holes near the top across from each other and run a piece of string through them and tie together to make your craft hangable. If you want a jack-o-lantern look, draw the appropriate shapes with a marker or pen. If you want a simpler look just staple different ribbons or streamers to the bottom of your windsock making sure they are all somewhat even. Hang up and enjoy!

 

  • PUMPKIN LACING CRAFT

 

Before handing to your child, take a paper plate and punch holes around the edges. Give to your child and have them color it orange like a pumpkin. Let them decorate the pumpkin with lines or any design they want. Let them get creative (stickers, glitter, etc). Once the pumpkin is dry, hand them a piece of string to have them lace through the pumpkin!

 

  • PUMPKIN SUNCATCHER

 

Take a piece of contact paper and cut it into the shape of a pumpkin. Trace it onto a black piece of construction paper and cut out. Cut along the black construction paper only on the edge so you have only a one-inch-thick outline of a pumpkin. Remove the backing from the contact paper and place the black outline of the pumpkin on the contact paper. Give your child different colors of two-inch squares of tissue paper. Have them press them down onto the contact paper. Hang up in a window and enjoy!

 

  • CANDY PUMPKIN SORT

 

Buy a container of candy corn/candy pumpkin mix. Have them sort through the pumpkins and the candy corn. Let them sort them into three piles (orange, white and yellow candy corn; chocolate candy corn and candy pumpkins). Have them work both on their sorting and on their counting skills. Then, let them have fun eating a few and have them share with siblings or friends!