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Simplay3 Blog

Easy-Clean Pumpkin Sensory Activity

Easy-Clean Pumpkin Sensory Activity

Posted by Simplay3 on 20 Oct 2017

It’s almost Halloween! And that means plenty of pumpkin activities for kids and grown ups. One of our favorite Halloween themed activities is carving pumpkins. This year we did it with a sensory play twist.

Simplay3's Easy-Clean Pumpkin Sensory Activity, a new twist on a fall tradition to bring sensory development into pumpkin carving.

Easy-Clean Pumpkin Sensory Activity

Materials Needed:

  • Pumpkin for each child
  • 1 knife
  • Spoon for each child
  • Sturdy table (try our In & Out Activity Table)
  • Adult Supervision

Step 1

The adult helping with this activity should cut out the top of the pumpkin in a pentagon shape. This will help your little to match up the corners easier.

The adult helping with this activity should cut out the top of the pumpkin in a pentagon shape.

Step 2

Have your child(ren) remove the top and take a look inside. You can talk to them about what’s inside a pumpkin - seeds, guts - and what they can be used for - planting more pumpkins, making pumpkin pie, or roasting seeds to eat.

Remove the top and take a look inside.

Step 3

Use a spoon to loosen up the guts and seeds from the sides of the pumpkin, this will make it easier to remove for the kids.

Use a spoon to loosen up the guts and seeds from the sides of the pumpkin

Step 5

Give each child a spoon to dig out the insides of the pumpkin. You can use a spoon or hands depending on your child’s level of comfort.

Give each child a spoon to dig out the insides of the pumpkin.

Tip: Using our In & Out Activity Table is ideal for multiple kids. It gives each child their own working space where they can remove and store their pumpkin.

Step 6

Once the insides are out let the kids play with the different textures while the adult helping cuts out the jack-o-lantern face or whatever each child has requested.

Let the kids play with the different textures while the adult helping cuts out the jack-o-lantern face

Tip: if the child likes drawing have them draw a face to cut out on the pumpkin for you to cut out.

Step 7

Set up the final product for the kids to enjoy their work. 

Set up the final product for the kids to enjoy their work.

Using a plastic product makes clean up even easy! Just hose it down and set it out to dry.

Using a plastic product makes clean up  even easy! Just hose it down and set it out to dry.

What activities do you do to bring the season into play?