How to Carve a Pumpkin

Tuesday October 27, 2009

_{Carved Pumpkins}
_{alicia rae / Flickr}

Just walking around the neighborhood lately has revealed a sad lack of Jack-o'-Lanterns. This struck me as a bit odd since it's so close to Halloween, but then I had to consider that I haven't carved any pumpkins myself in recent years. I found a book from ages ago that came with patterns and pumpkin-carving tools -- dusty and unopened -- in my closet just last week. Oops. It's just another activity I didn't get around to in the hustle and bustle that has become Halloween these days.

This year, though, I'm going to do it. There's a church within walking distance that has a pumpkin patch set up, so my son and I are going to head down there today and get us a nice one and carve it up. I've watched this instructional video (where I learned that carved pumpkins may only last a day to a week thus explaining my neighborhood's lack-o'-lanterns) and picked out a simple pumpkin pattern (I'm going for happy rather than spooky) so I'm ready to go.

If you're thinking about carving a pumpkin with your toddler this year, make sure you do it safely. Pumpkin carving tools are sharp and pumpkin flesh isn't the most yielding stuff even for the sharpest of knives. Make sure you keep your toddler at a distance as you carve and put sharp objects out of reach when not in use. If you can, have another adult around to supervise your toddler as you work. Remember that roasted pumpkin seeds are a great treat for adults, but can be a choking hazard for toddlers. And of course, when you light the candle inside, make sure your put away any matches or lighters.

An alternative to carving a pumpkin is to cut out the eyes, nose or other markings on your pattern or template, tape it to the pumpkin and let your toddler color the pumpkin with a black magic marker (like a stencil). You can also keep your toddler occupied and safe as you carve nearby by putting him in his high chair with a miniature pumpkin and some markers or crayons or set him up at his own table with some pumpkins and paint. You could even paint your pumpkin first and wait to carve it just before Halloween.

More Fun with Pumpkins

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