It’s hard to believe it’s almost Halloween! I admit, I’m relieved that the countdown is nearly done. My son is a Halloween fanatic who has been asking me “how many days” since August 1st. Of course, then the countdown to Christmas begins, but let’s keep it positive, shall we?
In the past, we have been a family who travels throughout Autumn. Even taking in as high dollar events as the Disney Halloween parties and the like. With the kids in school with strict attendance policies and money a little tighter, we’ve embraced staying close to home and low budget activities. We’ve had fun crafting, so I thought I would share our favorites!
My husband always takes on the task of carving the big pumpkin we put on the porch. Full disclosure, that is not something I enjoy. That’s physical labor, y’all. Painting little pumpkins is something I have come to love.
It’s about as simple as it sounds. I like to use the small pumpkins for this craft, because they simply last longer. It’s not as cool as it used to be in October here in Appalachia, so we have to wait to carve the pumpkin until closer to Halloween. Otherwise, we have a rotting pumpkin on our porch for two weeks. This is a project you can enjoy earlier in the month.
Grab a set of paintbrushes, let your kids pick their own theme and paints for their pumpkins, and get started! (We got everything but our pumpkins from Target. I was happy with the price point of the Mondo Llama supplies.)
Depending on your children’s ages and personalities, this project could get messy! I used some paper towels and trash bags to protect the table and floors. We wanted to do our work outside, but it was too windy that day. That would also be a great option.
We did have to practice some patience, because depending on the design you are doing, you may need to wait for the paint to dry between applications. This wasn’t a problem for us, but I can see a younger child getting frustrated.
Ultimately, this was a calm and fun craft! We all had a good time. I’m about as proud of my creation, Frankie, as I am of my own children. Proof of my small life, perhaps, but it’s the truth. I don’t have a lot going on.
We also found some fun fall kits that included all the supplies in one box. Things like this are available at Michael’s and Target, I have found. We like to grab a few of those each season.
I hope you are all having the happiest of Autumns, and this will be a fun craft for your family!
