Halloween for kids Pumpkin carving ideas
Easy pumpkin carving ideas kids can design
The easiest way for a kid to carve a pumpkin is to design it on paper first: your kid draws the face, a grown-up does the cutting, and your kid scoops, traces, and lights it. Pick a design with big shapes, like triangle eyes, a cat, or a ghost, because big shapes are easier to cut and glow brighter. Kids 6 to 8 draw and scoop; kids 9 to 13 can push out the cut pieces and use a small pumpkin saw with a grown-up beside them. On Kubrio, your kid can build a monster in Monster Maker and use its face as the design for the pumpkin.
Eight carving ideas
Classic happy face
Triangle eyes and a toothy grin: three straight cuts per shape, the easiest first pumpkin.
Surprised face
Round eyes and an O-shaped mouth. Circles are easy to draw and easy to cut.
Your kid's monster
Three eyes, uneven teeth: the face your kid draws is the design, wobbly lines and all.
Ghost
One rounded shape with a face: pin the cut-out eyes back in with toothpicks.
Black cat
A sitting cat cut out of the side. The stencil keeps the ears and tail thick.
Flying bat
Wide wings, one shape. Tape the stencil on and trace with a pushpin.
Polka dots
A grown-up drills round holes all over; your kid marks where each dot goes.
Haunted house
For kids 9 to 13: more pieces and thinner walls, so cut slowly.
How to carve a pumpkin with your kid
- Draw the faceYour kid draws the face on the blank pumpkin template, the same size as the pumpkin. Thick shapes work better than thin lines.
- Cut the lidA grown-up cuts a lid around the stem at an angle, so it doesn't fall in. Cutting a hole in the back or the bottom works too.
- Scoop it outYour kid scoops out the seeds and strings with a big spoon, then scrapes the front wall until it is about 2 cm (1 inch) thick.
- Trace the designTape the drawing to the pumpkin and poke along its lines with a pushpin every few millimeters. Peel the paper off: the dots show where to cut.
- CarveA grown-up cuts along the dots with a small pumpkin saw, middle shapes first. Kids 9 to 13 can saw with a grown-up's hand on theirs.
- Light itPut a battery tea light inside. It is safer than a candle, and the pumpkin lasts longer.
Too young for knives? Try the no-carve ideas: pumpkin painting ideas.
Free pumpkin stencils
Print a stencil at the size of your pumpkin, tape it on, and trace with a pushpin. Black shows what to cut out. A white shape inside a black one falls out when you cut it: pin it back in with a toothpick.
Turn your kid's monster into a stencil
Your kid builds a monster in Monster Maker, prints it, and its face becomes the design for this year's pumpkin.
Questions parents ask
What age can kids carve a pumpkin?
Kids 6 to 8 can design the face, scoop, and trace while a grown-up cuts. From about 9, many kids can use a small serrated pumpkin saw with a grown-up beside them; keep kitchen knives with the grown-up. On Kubrio, kids of every age start the same way, with their own drawing.
How do I make a carved pumpkin last longer?
Carve it no more than two or three days before Halloween, keep it somewhere cool, and use a battery light instead of a candle, which cooks the pumpkin from inside. A painted pumpkin lasts much longer than a carved one. On Kubrio, your kid's design can live on as a drawing that stars in a cartoon in Animation Studio.
How do I use a pumpkin stencil?
Print the stencil at a size that fits the front of the pumpkin, tape it flat, and poke along its edges with a pushpin. Remove the paper and cut from dot to dot; the black areas are the parts to cut out. On Kubrio, your kid can build a monster in Monster Maker, print it, and trace that instead.
What are easy pumpkin faces for beginners?
Triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a wide smile with square teeth: every cut is a straight line. Round eyes and an O-shaped mouth are the next easiest. On Kubrio, the free drawing guides show your kid how to draw a jack-o'-lantern face step by step.