Children will have a blast while creating their own fall decorations with this paper pumpkins activity from The GIANT Encyclopedia of Monthly Activities For Children 3 to 6. Using items that are commonly found around the house, this activity is simple to prepare for and children will be on their way to creating their paper pumpkins in no time! 

Paper Pumpkins

Materials

• construction paper (orange, yellow, and brown)
• crayons
• scissors
• empty paper towel tubes
• glue

What to Do

1. Ask the children to choose a few sheets of construction paper in fall colors, or use white paper. Encourage them to color their paper with crayons, layering different fall colors over each other for a rich, multilayered effect. The children can use several colors per sheet, and color both sides if desired.
2. Help them cut most of their papers into long, narrow strips, making sure they leave some whole sheets for stems, leaves, and vines.
3. Cut paper towel tubes into thirds. Give one-third of a tube to each child.
4. Help them cover their tubes with their construction or colored paper. Glue the paper in place. This will be the central core of each pumpkin.
5. Show the children how to glue five or six paper strips into one end of the central core. Let each strip dry slightly before attaching more strips. Continue this process until the entire top of the core is filled evenly with paper strips. Let dry.
6. Help the children gently curl the end of each strip around and down so it can be glued into the bottom of the central core. Each strip should bow out. This creates the round pumpkin. Help the children glue each strip in place and dry slightly. Complete this step with all of the strips. Help the children add more strips to fill any spaces. Dry thoroughly.
7. Demonstrate how to cut green construction paper, crayon-colored paper, or a paper bag into the size of a large index card. Help them roll the paper into a cylinder. Insert this cylinder into the top of the central core for a stem. Help the children glue it in place.
8. Trace paper leaves and vines on a sheet that the children colored. Help them cut out the leaves and vines and glue them to the pumpkin anywhere they desire.