Happy First Day of Autumn!

Fall is officially upon us, so it seems like a good time to do a pumpkin crafts theme for our magazine. My kids are already begging for pumpkins, especially since we are now seeing them everywhere we go.

Doing a few pumpkin crafts projects is a nice substitute for buying them this early in the season... especially since it's still so warm in my little part of the world.

Happy Crafting!

Little Kid^TM Crafts

• Pumpkin Funny Faces - These are cute little pumpkins made from paper bowls... they would also make a great bulletin board decoration!

• "Your Li'l Pumpkin" Picture Holder - This is a really great pumpkin project for younger children because they can make something that they can really use and display in their rooms. I really like this one!

• Now Available In Spiral Bound Version!

  Pumpkin Hats - These hats are surprisingly easy to make and a lot of fun to wear! The kids will have a ball with this one... we did! The only thing we did differently is that we ignored all the stuff about "judge."

• Pumpkin Picture Frame - A cute and simple picture frame made from foam to put a fall or Halloween picture in. What a great way to preserve your Autumn memories and to make kids feel! This one comes complete with a printable template.

• Sponge Jack-o-Lanntern - This craft is terrific for kids ages 4 and up (maybe even younger with a little help). All you need is a cellulose sponge and a little creativity.

• Paper Plate Jack-o-Lantern (or Pumpkin) - This is a super simple paper plate project for little ones. There are several ways that you can adapt it to fit other themes than Halloween, so be sure to check at the end of the project for my adaptation ideas.

More Challenging Crafts

• Clay Pot Pumpkin Bell - Make this cute pumpkin bell using a terra cotta clay pot and a few other supplies. This would make a great project for a group like Girl or Boy Scouts.

• Hanging Pumpkins - This is a really easy project made mostly from scrap felt... another great school or scout project!

• Dryer Vent Pumpkin - This is a very uniquely created pumpkin that comes from Girl Scout Troop 704... and it really is made out of a dryer vent!

• Mason Jar Jack-o-Lantern - This is a quick, easy, and cut project that is great for older kids because they can do it totally on their own with very little supervision. I think this project would also be suitable for some younger kids as long as they have a little help.

• Pumpkin Pencil Topper - Find out how to make a halloween pumpkin pencil topper craft. A great classroom treat idea!

Additional Resources...

• The Great Pumpkin Party - This page has some really great ideas for holding your own pumpkin decorating party... something we are going to try this year.

• Oriental Trading Co. - If you're planning on a group craft project for Halloween, then you have to check out what Oriental Trading has to offer. They have tons of projects to choose from and you can purchase complete craft kits for an entire class for pennies per person... this makes it really easy!

• By the way, don't forget to check out the message boards at: http://www.kidcraftsmagazine.com/messageboards.shtml