Pumpkin painting ideas for kids: no knife needed

No knife needed: your kid turns a pumpkin into a monster with paint, paper horns, and a googly third eye.

Free3 lessons3 minutesWith Krea

To paint a pumpkin with kids, start with its shape: tall and thin is a ghost, big and round is a monster, and short and flat is an owl. Your kid plans it on paper with three colors, paints a base coat, the big shapes, and then the face, and adds paper ears, pipe-cleaner antennae, and a name card. On this page, three free Kubrio films with Krea show each step.

Your turn!

Find a pumpkin and pick who lives inside. Draw your plan with three colors.

What the film says (Lesson 1 of 3)

Hi, I'm Krea! Today you turn a pumpkin into a monster. No knife needed. Just paint!
First, look at your pumpkin's shape. The shape tells you who lives inside.
Tall and thin? A ghost, or an alien. Big and round? A monster! Short and flat? An owl!
My pumpkin is big and round. So it's a monster. Meet Gus!
Now plan it on paper. Draw your pumpkin's shape, then the face. Pick just three colors.
Gus gets green, purple, and white. Three colors look bold, not muddy.
Your turn. Find a pumpkin and pick who lives inside. Draw your plan with three colors. Then press Next.

Every lesson

Lesson 1 · 0:55
Pick a character
Your turn: Find a pumpkin and pick who lives inside. Draw your plan with three colors.
Watch lesson 1
What the film says
1. 0:00
  Hi, I'm Krea! Today you turn a pumpkin into a monster. No knife needed. Just paint!
2. 0:08
  First, look at your pumpkin's shape. The shape tells you who lives inside.
3. 0:14
  Tall and thin? A ghost, or an alien. Big and round? A monster! Short and flat? An owl!
4. 0:23
  My pumpkin is big and round. So it's a monster. Meet Gus!
5. 0:29
  Now plan it on paper. Draw your pumpkin's shape, then the face. Pick just three colors.
6. 0:36
  Gus gets green, purple, and white. Three colors look bold, not muddy.
7. 0:43
  Your turn. Find a pumpkin and pick who lives inside. Draw your plan with three colors. Then press Next.
Lesson 2 · 0:53
Paint it
Your turn: Paint the base coat and let it dry. Then big shapes, then the face.
Watch lesson 2
What the film says
1. 0:00
  Time to paint Gus! First, spread newspaper under your pumpkin. Paint goes everywhere!
2. 0:07
  Use acrylic or poster paint. Younger makers can use washable paint.
3. 0:13
  Step one, the base coat. Paint the whole pumpkin white, or one color. Then let it dry.
4. 0:20
  Step two, the big shapes. Gus gets purple spots, and two white circles for eyes.
5. 0:28
  Step three, the face. Use a thick black marker for the pupils and a big, goofy mouth.
6. 0:35
  Here's a trick! Dip the end of your brush in paint, and press. Perfect dots!
7. 0:41
  Your turn. Paint the base coat and let it dry. Then big shapes, then the face. Then press Next.
Lesson 3 · 0:46
Add the extras
Your turn: Add the extras. Make a name card. Show it off.
Watch lesson 3
What the film says
1. 0:00
  Gus has a face. Now let's make him extra silly!
2. 0:05
  Cut ears or horns from paper, and tape them on top.
3. 0:09
  Twist pipe cleaners around the stem. Now Gus has antennae. Boing!
4. 0:16
  Googly eyes make anything funny. Gus gets a third eye!
5. 0:21
  Every monster needs a name card. Fold some paper in half, and write the name big.
6. 0:27
  Put your monster where everyone sees it. By the front door, or in a window. Hi, Gus!
7. 0:34
  Your turn. Add the extras. Make a name card. Show it off. You made a pumpkin monster!

What your kid makes

A painted pumpkin monster with paper horns or ears, pipe-cleaner antennae, a googly third eye, and a name card.

What you need

A pumpkin
Acrylic, poster, or washable paint in three colors
A brush and a thick black marker
Newspaper to cover the table
Paper, scissors, and tape for the ears
Pipe cleaners and a googly eye

Questions parents ask

What paint works on a pumpkin?

Acrylic or poster paint covers well. For younger kids, washable paint is easier to clean up. Let the base coat dry before the next step so the colors stay bold.

Does my kid need a grown-up?

Not for the painting. There's no knife, heat, or candle in this course. A grown-up can help set up the newspaper and the paint.

How do you paint perfect dots?

Dip the end of the brush handle in paint and press it on the pumpkin. Krea shows the trick in lesson 2.

Know a family who loves Halloween? Send them this course.

More courses like this one live in Kubrio's kid app, with the studios, for kids 6 to 13. See Kubrio