10 pumpkin pursuits

Celebrate autumn with these pumpkin activities that build math, language and art skills!

1. Have your child estimate how many pumpkin seeds are inside. You may get an answer like, "Sixty-Hundred!" and that's okay. Just ask if that means a lot of seeds or a little bit. More than the number of kids in her school, or less?
2. Count how many seeds are inside by separating them from the pulp. Group them in 2s, 5s or 10s for easy counting.
3. Estimate the circumference using a string or piece of yarn. Ask your child to cut the yarn to the length that he or she thinks will go exactly around the widest part of the pumpkin. How close was the estimate? Measure the yarn to see how many inches around the pumpkin is.
4. Brainstorm with your child several adjectives that describe a pumpkin (orange, round, heavy, etc.). List them on paper.
5. Use the pumpkin as a canvas and let your child paint on it.
6. Help your child carve a Jack-o-lantern. First have your child sketch or draw the face on a piece of paper. Help transfer it to the front of the pumpkin, and let your child watch you carve out the design.
7. Make a bird feeder. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out most of the inside and add birdseed. Set on the windowsill and watch the wildlife come around!
8. Make pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread or pumpkin soup. Let your child measure out the ingredients.
9. Estimate the weight of your pumpkin, and then weight it on a scale. How close were you?
10. Gather pumpkins of various sizes to see if larger pumpkins have more seeds than smaller pumpkins.

What's your creative and educational solution for pumpkin season?