This post was contributed by Leah of Simple. Home. Blessings.
A Kids Thanksgiving Art Project Easy Enough for Toddlers!
Still have some pumpkins hanging around after Halloween? I love to keep them throughout the fall season, just because I think they are so beautiful (there are so many amazing varieties)! We found a fun, seasonal way to play with pumpkins and create something special for our Thanksgiving table. It was perfect for our toddler who loves to paint, and she will definitely delight in the family seeing her work on Thanksgiving day. This kids Thanksgiving art project was such a hit, I think we will make this into a Thanksgiving tradition.
Kids Thanksgiving Table Runner Art
Supplies:
Sugar pumpkins (I think that is the variety) or another pumpkin with a longer stem – we had three
Paint (we used washable) and plates to pour the paint into
A length of butcher paper long enough to span your dining table.
Tape (we used blue tape)
How to prep for the project:
We did this project outside on the driveway to try to cut down on the mess.
Cut the pumpkins in half horizontally and remove all the seeds and strings.
Pour desired paint colors into plates or shallow dishes.
Lay down the length of butcher paper and tape it down.
Place paint plates next to the paper, with the pumpkins next to them.
Once you have everything you need and you have the project set-up, your child’s creativity is all that matters. I started by demonstrating that the pumpkin now was a stamp by dipping it in the paint, gently shaking off the excess, and then pressing it on the paper. And it was a pumpkin!
After that, my little one went for it! Interestingly, she created lines on either side of the length of butcher paper, using as many colors as she wanted. It was so easy for her to work with pumpkin stamp because it had a long stem, large enough for her small hand to grasp.
After we were done with our kids Thanksgiving art project, and the paint had dried, I went back over the stemless pumpkins and gave them stems, so they could look more pumpkin-y. This beautiful creation will be the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving table.
I am already thinking of all the other fall things we could use to paint our table runner next year. Leaves! Acorns! Pine Cones! Cornucopias?
What do you do to get your little ones excited and involved in the holidays? Have any kids Thanksgiving art projects to share?
Leah is the homemaker and mama behind Simple. Home. Blessings. She loves seeing the spark in her children’s eyes as they discover and explore new things. She is passionate about reading and creates lots of activities based on favorite books. She also writes about other topics related to homemaking.
conni says
The table was special and we are so grateful for the creativity Mama brings into our grandchildren’s lives.
Tulip says
Love this idea! What a fun way to get the kids involved in preparing the table for the thanksgiving meal. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sheena says
Stopping by from TGIF- this is to stinking cute i love it, what a great way to get the kids involved in the holidays and feel important on Thanksgiving with their art on display! I also love how you they got to use the pumpkin to make it with! I am definitely pinning this to do for Thanksgiving with my kids! Thank you for sharing!
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Claire says
This is such a cute activity! Love the idea of using the pumpkins to paint with the stems as handles! So creative! We have always done a “Thankful Tree” at our house in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. We each write something we’re thankful for on a paper leaf and hang them on a bunch of twigs and branches we have placed in a vase. The kids love it! After Thanksgiving, I take all the leaves off and punch a hole in each one. We string them on twine or yarn and use them as a garland for our Christmas tree! Thanks for the cute painting idea! 🙂
Pauline@lessonslearntjournal.com says
What a great idea! I’m sure many comments will be made throughout thanksgiving dinner :). Thanks for linking this up to the Kids Co-Op. I’ll be featuring this post in my printmaking with kids roundup. xo P