Kids CraftsNo. 7933 · The 2026 edition
Pumpkin Activities for Kids and Ideas for Pumpkin Recipes For Autumn Activity Calendar
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at littlecooksreadingbooks.com.
About this
This page is a roundup of pumpkin activities for kids paired with easy pumpkin recipes for autumn, aimed at toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten, elementary ages, and even adults. It gathers no-carve pumpkin ideas, pumpkin crafts, sensory and learning activities, and cooking projects such as pumpkin cookies, cornbread, smoothies, and seasoned roasted seeds. Many entries link out to full tutorials, and several free printables are referenced along the way.
The plan
- Grab a kid's pumpkin carving kit to help with Halloween pumpkin activities
- Save the seeds when you carve pumpkins so you can make a roasted pumpkin seeds snack
- Pick up mini pumpkins for pumpkin math with preschoolers
- Print the free pumpkin life cycle printable for things to do with pumpkins
- Print the free Thanksgiving Gratitude Pumpkins to talk about being thankful
- Get the free printable pumpkin activities for Halloween preschool cutting practice
- Get the free pumpkin printable sensory pack for a toddler fall sensory bin / pumpkin play tray
- For crunchy pumpkin cornbread, heat the cast iron skillet with oil before placing the batter in and baking
Decoration ideas
- Easy DIY tissue paper pumpkin craft (easy paper pumpkins for Halloween or fall)
- Pumpkin fairy house craft for fall
- No-carve pumpkin cat family craft, where every family member makes their own cute pumpkin decoration
- No-carve pumpkin kittens, an alternative to preschool pumpkin carving
- Pumpkin plate pumpkin craft (easy pumpkin craft, also good as an art-and-craft pumpkin table at a party)
- Decorate pumpkins with pumpkin stickers
- Pumpkin hands craft
- Fall pumpkin art using finger paints and miniature pumpkins
Food & drink
- Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
- Easy pumpkin cookies that are equally good iced or without the cream cheese icing
- Dill Pickle Pumpkin Seeds (great pumpkin snacks)
- Air Fryer Dill Pickle Pumpkin Seeds (roasted in the air fryer)
- Pumpkin Cornbread (pumpkin cornbread with honey)
- Pumpkin Smoothie
- Pumpkin Face Smoothie (a refreshing pumpkin Halloween drink where everyone makes their own face)
- Halloween Pumpkin Marshmallow Peeps (homemade DIY pumpkin peeps)
- Pumpkin Cake Pops (use pumpkin spice cake mix and leave off the faces if not making jack-o-lantern cake pops)
- Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Salted Pumpkin Seeds (with different seasoning flavors for kids to try)
- Square pumpkin pops made to go with Spookly the Square Pumpkin
- Pumpkin cupcakes or pumpkin muffins made from pumpkin centers (pumpkin guts)
Activities
- No-carve pumpkins (great for pumpkin preschool activities and for groups)
- Learn: Is Pumpkin a Fruit?
- Get printable Gratitude Pumpkin cards
- Have fun with a foaming pumpkin experiment (fizzing pumpkin)
- Learn the Pumpkin Life Cycle
- Use fall scents and items to make sensory pumpkin activities
- Make a pumpkin hands craft
- Play pumpkins hide and seek
- Watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and do activities to go with the movie
- Use mini pumpkins for pumpkin math for preschoolers
- Complete pumpkin lessons / pumpkin lesson plans
- Get free printable pumpkin activities for Halloween preschool cutting practice
- Paint mini pumpkins (pumpkin arts activities)
- Make no-carve pumpkin kittens
- Play with pumpkin felts
- Make pumpkin pie play dough
- Play with pumpkin slime
- Make a toddler fall sensory bin / play pumpkin tray for pumpkin centers
- Go on an autumn sensory walk
- Create fall pumpkin art with finger paints and miniature pumpkins
- Visit the pumpkin patch and do a scavenger hunt pumpkin activity
- Make a pumpkin plate pumpkin craft or set up an art and craft pumpkin table at a party
- Decorate pumpkin sticker pumpkins
- Play with pumpkin beads (great for Montessori pumpkin activities)
More photos
Photos hosted by littlecooksreadingbooks.com.
