Expecting toddlers to wield a pumpkin carving saw safely and with any accuracy is a bit of an unrealistic expectation. That being said, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun carving a pumpkin with your toddler.
When my boys were two-and-a-half, I was excited to try turning pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns with them. I went in expecting to do much of the heavy lifting because, though they were capable, there are still things that they weren’t able to do yet.
With that in mind, I adjusted my expectations and found a new way to get them involved.
starting with the basics
Picking the perfectly shaped pumpkin might seem necessary, but when you’re working with toddlers, it’s about size.
Typically pumpkin picking goes one of two ways with toddlers. They either pick the biggest pumpkin or the smallest. Neither of these is ideal for pumpkin carving with a toddler.
You want a pumpkin big enough to make a proper jack-o’-lantern face but not so big you’re spending all your time gutting it.
Speaking of guts…
no guts, no glory
A great way to include toddlers in the pumpkin carving process is by having them help gut their pumpkins. Not only is it a necessary part of prepping the pumpkins, but it’s also a fantastic sensory experience.
Bonus points if they want to help separate the seeds from the flesh for roasting later.
Now, this may be the area where things don’t go the way you’d expect. Some kiddos aren’t keen on getting their hands down in the squishy, wet, and cold pulp (*cough* mine *cough*). Have a spoon or a gutting tool on hand just in case.
HITTING THE NAIL ON THE HEAD OR THE CUTTER WITH A MALLET
I’m about to share the ultimate game-changer in pumpkin carving with toddlers. I can’t even take credit for it because my husband is the award winner for this discovery.
As I mentioned, handing a sharp object to a toddler is ill-advised. Giving them a rubber mallet however, is genius. Have you ever met a toddler who doesn’t like to hit, hammer, bang, or whack?
Rather than carve the shapes, your twins can hammer the cookie-cutter like shapes to create their own unique pumpkin faces.
This takes supervision and assistance from an adult, but your tots can do most of the work themselves.
It also cuts down on carving time for grown-ups who don’t enjoy it but want to participate.
grab the kit we used here!
light em’ up
Once the pumpkin carving part is done, it’s time to show them off!
Immediately after the top was cut on my boys’ pumpkins, all they wanted to do was put it back on and take it off repeatedly. Turning the LED candle on and off and putting it in only extends the enjoyment.
They also get the satisfaction of seeing their handy work all lit up.
Toddlers are notorious for losing interest in tasks fairly quickly, so having a way to expedite the carving process helped us reach an end result with full participation.
Catering to a toddler’s need for autonomy, practicing gross motor skills, and expressing maximum effort, you can get the most out of the experience for both you and your toddler.
