Nothing gets us in the Halloween spirit like carving a pumpkin with our kids. We created a visual schedule to help your kiddo with autism or ADHD with this spooky project. Check out the video below or activate our routine in the Goally app. We broke down pumpkin carving into bite-sized pieces for simple, step-by-step fun! Download our printable pumpkin faces to help make your spooky masterpiece.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need for Kids Pumpkin Carving
- An adult (for supervision & cutting)
- 1 large, ripe pumpkin
- Newspaper (for easy clean up)
- 1 dry erase marker
- 1 serrated knife (for cutting the top)
- Plastic, kid-safe pumpkin carving tools
- Gloves (for your kid to wear while carving)
- Trash bags or bowl (for the guts & seeds)
- 1 flame-free candle or light
- Optional: Stencils for tracing
Step-By-Step Kids Pumpkin Carving
Prep your area by covering your workspace in newspapers or a large garbage bag. Work on a clean, hard surface, such as a dining table or the kitchen floor. Put down a layer of newspapers or cut open a large garbage bag to unfold it into a large tarp to catch any spills or messes you make. Check out our video for a step-by-step visual routine for pumpkin carving.
Read more: Classroom Activities for a Nonverbal Autistic Child
Step #1: Carve the Top of Your Kids Pumpkin
Cut a circle around the top of the pumpkin. We recommend cutting at an angle so the top of your pumpkin doesn’t fall through the hole you just cut! Once you are done cutting your circle set it aside.
Step #2: Remove the Pumpkin Guts
The squishy insides of the pumpkin make for excellent sensory play! Scrape down the sides and the seeds with the “brains” the hairy, mushy, slimy parts of the pumpkin. Set the guts aside to make a pumpkin sensory bag for your sensory sensitive kiddo!
MOM TIP: If you have a hand mixer, use it to get the ‘guts.’ Using a hand mixer loosens up all of those fleshy strings inside so all you have to do is scoop everything out and rinse the seeds.
Make a Pumpkin Sensory Bag
Create a pumpkin sensory bag after you’ve finished your kids pumpkin carving routine. Let your sensory sensitive kiddo explore and play in a mess-free way!
Step #3: Draw Your Design
If you want to do a classic jack-o-lantern face, follow along with our kids pumpkin carving video routine in Goally’s app. In our visual schedule, we drew 2 triangles for the eyes and 1 triangle for the nose. Then, we drew a half circle for the smile.
Download Printable Pumpkin Faces
If you want a more complex design, try one of our printable pumpkin faces. Fill out the form below and we’ll send the downloadable stencils to your inbox. To use these stencils, poke holes in the pumpkin with push pins to outline a stenciled design.
Step #4: It’s Carving Time!
With an adult’s help, carve out your simple jack-o-lantern or one of our printable pumpkin faces. If you’re following along with our visual schedule for kids pumpkin carving, just cut along the lines you drew in step 3. If you used one of our printable pumpkin faces, cut along the stencil outlines!
Step #5: Light Up Your Kids Pumpkin
Put a light in the pumpkin to make your jack-o-lantern glow! We suggest using a battery powered light specifically made for pumpkins to make it extra kid and sensory-same.
Step #6: Put the Top Back On
After you’ve added the finishing touches on your kids pumpkin carving routine, put your lid back on. If your light gets hot, try to offset the lid slightly so there is still airflow inside the pumpkin.
Read more: 5 Gift Ideas for Autism
Step #7: Show Your Kids Pumpkin Off!
The last step for our kids pumpkin carving routine is to put your finished pumpkin on the porch for everyone to see. Good job kiddo! Don’t forget to bring it inside in the morning so you can avoid the squirrels getting ahold of it before Halloween!
Goally | Routines that Actually Work
Goally’s skill building tablet for kids has routines that break down large tasks into small, achievable steps. It helps kids complete their tasks independently!
Create custom routines with your own videos & pictures for every step. The steps come in small, bite-sized pieces to help your child learn the little fundamentals (like putting the toothpaste on their toothbrush!) to achieve bigger goals. And that’s just the beginning. See it in action:
In conclusion, carving pumpkins with kids is a fantastic way to get into the Halloween spirit. Our visual schedule and step-by-step guide make this spooky project accessible and fun for children with autism or ADHD. From carving the top to creating a sensory bag with the pumpkin guts, we’ve broken down the process into manageable steps. You can follow our video routine or use printable pumpkin faces for more intricate designs. Light up your jack-o-lantern, put the top back on, and proudly display your masterpiece. Enjoy the festive atmosphere while ensuring the squirrels don’t snatch your creation before Halloween. Happy carving!
This post was originally published on 10/27/2022. It was updated on 09/20/2023.
Goally
We help parents teach their kids life skills, like doing bedtime and morning independently. Backed by science, we incorporate evidence-based practices and expert-informed designs in all of our apps and content.
