Halloween Games: Carve a Pumpkin

Halloween games test players' pumpkin carving abilities.

Halloween parties are an ideal setting for guests to carve pumpkins as part of the festivities, and games testing their carving skills may help them enjoy All Hallows' Eve all the more. Pumpkin carving games challenge partygoers to make the best real-life or virtual Halloween jack-o'-lantern faces and compete in other contests built around carved pumpkins.

Carving Party Games

Party guests carve and decorate memorable pumpkins in a pumpkin-carving game. Carving stations should include proper tools for adults and children, as well as bowls for seeds and discarded pieces. The host sets a time limit and participants start carving. Carvers decorate their pumpkins with items such as carrots (for noses) and toothpicks (for teeth), and use nontoxic paints to add color. Once the time limit expires, assigned judges choose a winner in categories such as "Most Creative." For other challenges, the host can ask carvers to make their pumpkin look as much like themselves as possible, or carve pumpkins based on themes such as music, TV or sports. Competitors line up their pumpkins and stand behind their work for the judging.

Miscellaneous Party Games

Carved pumpkins can serve as the goal in Halloween party games that aren't about players' carving skills. Before playing Pumpkin Penny Pitch, participants carve a pumpkin and cover its inside walls and bottom with aluminum foil. Standing 2 to 3 feet from their pumpkin and with 15 pennies at their disposal, players try to land as many pennies in the pumpkin's head as possible. The player landing the most pennies in his pumpkin wins. Pumpkin Golf requires players to carve their pumpkin, with the focus on carving an extra-large mouth. The host prepares a cardboard ramp that extends 1 to 2 feet from the bottom of the pumpkin's mouth to the floor. Players stand 3 feet from the start of the ramp -- farther, if they're adults -- and putt three golf balls. The player landing the most golf balls in the pumpkin's mouth wins.

Drag the Pieces Games

Party guests forgo carving tools and drag precarved eye, nose and mouth pieces to a pumpkin in the Halloween Pumpkin Carving Game at the McGruff website. After players click the candle and take a Halloween safety quiz, the jack-o'-lantern lights up. Players have even more pumpkins and precarved pieces at their disposal in Jack-O'-Lantern Creator at the Primary Games website. After completing their work, players may print out and color their pumpkin, or use the pieces as a guide when carving an actual pumpkin.

Virtual Carving Games

Virtual pumpkin-carving games give party guests an alternative to messy pumpkin carving. Players carve a pumpkin with freehand or straight cuts in Halloween Pumpkin Carver, at the Game Garage website. After using their mouse to carve a pumpkin, players click the candle to illuminate the pumpkin. Party guests receive a lesson in pumpkin carving in "How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a Pro," at the Free Online Games website. The game offers players tips on carving tools and design. After choosing the pumpkin's design, players try to carve it. Players add paint colors to pumpkin designs in Online Pumpkin Carving, found at the Spookathon website. Using freehand or straight-line tools, players carve their pumpkin and use small and wide paintbrushes to add color.

References

• Disney Family Fun: The Great Pumpkin Party
• Pumpkin Nook: Halloween Party Games

Resources

• History: Pumpkin Carving Patterns
• Kaboose Funschool: Pumpkin Carving -- Pumpkin Crafts & Activities
• Martha Stewart: Throw a Pumpkin-Carving Party
• McGruff: Halloween Pumpkin Carving Game
• Primary Games: Jack-O'-Lantern Creator
• Game Garage: Halloween Pumpkin Carver
• Free Online Games: How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a Pro
• Spookathon: Online Pumpkin Carving