Painted Pumpkins

• 1). Cover the work area with newspaper and set up a paper plate for each child to put her paint on. If you would rather have the children share, set up one paper plate for two or three children to use.
  
  
• 2). Squirt several colors of paint onto each plate and provide a paintbrush to use with each color.
  
  
• 3). Give each child a pumpkin of about the same size. Allow the children to paint their pumpkins however they like. Tell the children that they may give their pumpkins faces if they want, but they may also paint other things, such as suns or ghosts, on their pumpkins. Paint outlines for them to fill in if they request your help.
  
  
• 4). Allow the pumpkins to dry on the newspaper.
  
  

Felt Pumpkins

• 1). Prepare for the project by cutting out felt shapes for the preschoolers to tape to their pumpkins. Cut mouths, noses and eyes of varying sizes, shapes and colors from the felt. Cut accessories such as bow ties and hair bows from the felt as well.
  
  
• 2). Help the children glue the felt cut-outs onto their pumpkins. Show the children that they can give their pumpkins different personalities by mixing and matching different facial features.
  
  
• 3). Invite the children to glue glitter, ribbons and any other craft items to their pumpkins for a personalized pumpkin head.