As a kid, we always carved pumpkins- but it was always frustrating. My design paper would always get wet and gross, my saw would always break in half, and it never turned out the way I wanted it- if I could even finish it without my arm getting too tired.
When Shane was little, I realized how nerve-wracking it can be to give a tiny saw to a tiny child- we decided we’d hold off on carving for awhile. In the meantime, we used those kits you can buy for like $20 at the store that turn your pumpkin into a character- but that adds up quick when you’re making a new character every year, especially with more than one kid!
We have tried carving since those early days, but we find that we actually prefer no-carve options. It takes less time, makes less of a mess, and is safe for even the littlest kiddos to participate in. Plus, since you aren’t cutting up the pumpkin it actually lasts way longer, letting kids enjoy their creations for more than just a couple of days.
Over the years, we’ve tried it all- and there have been quite a few no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas that we’ve really loved. Below are some of the ways that we tried and recommend- and will likely do again this year!
5 No Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
1. Temporary Tattoos: These work the exact same way that they do on skin! We used craft pumpkins for this, but it would work on real pumpkins too. {If you use a craft pumpkin, you can reuse it year after year!} We tried it on a light pumpkin and it was very vibrant- if you plan on using a real one or a darker one, your mileage may vary.
2. Halloween Masks: This one couldn’t get easier! Get a mask made for a costume with an elastic strap and just put it on the pumpkin! If it won’t stay put, just add a couple of drops of hot glue- or even a couple of those glue dots- and it should stick.
3. Stickers: You can let little kids just go crazy with stickers, or you can make an actual pattern or design, like we did. Zac had a lot of fun helping me with this one!
4. Headbands: Just like the masks, you can use Halloween headbands! I found this one in the seasonal section at Target, but you can use any kind of headband you want, including Minnie ears from Disneyland {just keep in mind that if you use a real pumpkin, it’ll start rotting eventually}.
5. Paint: For the last few years, even when making the other cute no-carve options above, we have still always painted real pumpkins as well. It lets us have that family night together like we would have had if we were carving pumpkins, but without all the stress. We just use a variety of acrylic paints {get these from the craft store for roughly $1 each} and a handful of paintbrushes, and everyone comes up with their own design.
If you do want to carve pumpkins, you can grab these Frankenweenie stencils, or learn how to make a pumpkin that looks like your pet. If you need more no-carve ideas, check out these Glow in the Dark No Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas. Or if you’d rather get one of those character sets and call it a day, check those out here.
What’s your favorite way to decorate pumpkins?
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