If you have young children, you won't want them to get involved in carving
a jack-o-lantern - but they can have just as much fun, and get even more
creative, if you try painting one!
Pumpkin Painting: A Halloween Activity For The Whole
Family
by JoAnne Westcott
A carved jack-o-lantern may very well be the most
recognized symbol for the Halloween holiday. But using a sharp knife to
carve them is not exactly an activity that everyone, especially the
children who are so in love with Halloween, can do.
During a field trip to a pumpkin farm, I discovered a Halloween activity
that even the youngest members of the family can participate in.
Pumpkin painting is a fun and safe way to celebrate autumn and
Halloween. With just a few supplies: paint, brushes, sealer and your
imagination, anyone can transform a plain pumpkin into a whimsical,
life-like character.
By tracing a pattern onto the pumpkin, young children can “paint by
numbers” and create their own Halloween masterpiece.
The best feature of painted pumpkins is their lifespan. A pumpkin, once
carved, will last three to five days at the most before it begins to
collapse and rot. A painted pumpkin, when finished properly, will last
four weeks or longer!
And a great way to make your pumpkin work double duty is to paint one
side for Halloween. When Halloween is over, turn the pumpkin around,
paint some autumn leaves and leave it on your porch for a beautiful
Thanksgiving decoration!
JoAnne Westcott is the publisher of the full-color, step-by-step
instructional e-guide: Pumpkin Painting, Anyone Can Do It. Really! (http://www.easypumpkinpainting.com)
She is also the publisher of other related e-guides: Easy Face Painting
(http://www.easyfacepainting.com)
- the beginner’s guide to face painting and Your Face Painting Biz (http://www.yourfacepaintingbiz.com)
- a start-up guide for anyone interested in Face Painting as a
home-based business.
