Halloween for kids Pumpkin carving ideas Ghost
Ghost pumpkin carving idea
Ages 6+ · about 1 hour
A ghost pumpkin is one rounded ghost shape cut out of the side, with its eyes and mouth left in. The eyes come loose when the ghost is cut, so you pin them back in place with toothpicks.
What you need
- A pumpkin
- The ghost stencil
- A big spoon
- Tape and a pushpin
- A small pumpkin saw (for the grown-up)
- Toothpicks
- A battery tea light
How to make it
- Print the stencilPrint the ghost stencil so it fits the front of the pumpkin, or your kid draws a ghost with a wavy bottom edge.
- Open it (grown-up)A grown-up cuts a lid around the stem with the knife angled toward the middle, so the lid sits on a ledge and doesn't fall in.
- Scoop it outYour kid scoops out the seeds and strings with a big spoon, then scrapes the inside of the front until the wall is about 2 cm (1 inch) thick.
- Trace the ghostTape the stencil on and poke along the outline of the ghost and around its eyes and mouth. Peel it off.
- Carve (grown-up)A grown-up cuts out the eyes and mouth as small pieces and keeps them, then saws around the ghost and pushes it out.
- Pin the face backYour kid pushes a toothpick halfway into each eye and the mouth piece, then sets them back in the ghost hole, with the toothpick ends stuck into the pumpkin wall. Light it with a battery tea light.
Tips by age
For younger kids
Skip the face: a ghost shape with no eyes still glows like a ghost.
For older kids
Carve two small ghosts instead of one, flying in different directions.
Make it your own
More ideas like this
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.
On Kubrio, your kid can build a monster in Monster Maker and use its face as the design for the pumpkin.