How to Paint a Pumpkin Using Crepe Paper

Give your preschool students the chance to paint a perfect pumpkin with no mess and no fuss. The only preparation you need to do ahead of time is to cut out one pumpkin from crepe paper for each student. You don't even need to provide paint. The students will paint with water.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 1 piece heavy white art paper per student
• Orange crepe paper
• Scissors
• 1 piece cardboard
• 1 paint brush per student
• 1 dixie cup of water per student
• Pencil
• Crayons

1. Prepare a cardboard cutting guide in the shape of a pumpkin. Draw a round pumpkin with a rectangular stem on top on the cardboard. Make the pumpkin about 6 inches wide and about 6 inches tall. Cut it out.

2. Cut the orange crepe paper into pieces that are about 7 inches square. Cut enough pieces so that there is one for each student. Trace around the cardboard cutting guide on each piece of crepe paper. Cut out the crepe paper pumpkins.

3. Make a sample of the project so that you can show the students what their painted pumpkins will look like. Place the cut out orange crepe paper pumpkin in the middle of a piece of heavy white art paper. Wet a paint brush in water. Gently brush the water over the crepe paper pumpkin. Continue painting the water over the crepe paper until the entire pumpkin is wet. This will release the color from the crepe paper. Allow the painting to dry. Then peel off the crepe paper. A perfect pumpkin will be painted on the paper. Use crayons to draw in the sections of the pumpkin and to outline the stem.

4. Distribute the heavy white art paper to the students who should be arranged at a table so that there is enough space between each student for them to work without bumping or crowding. Pass out the crepe paper pumpkins. Fill a cup with water for each student. Give each student a paint brush and allow them to paint the pumpkin with water. Leave the paintings on the table until they are totally dry. Later, peel the crepe paper pumpkins off of the paintings. Next class, let the students finish decorating their pumpkins with crayons.

5. Display the painted pumpkins for parents and other visitors to enjoy in the classroom or in the hallway.