- Category:
Lifestyle - Published:
October 27, 2014 - Updated:
July 6, 2021
Pumpkin Carving Tips
Pumpkin carving is a Halloween season staple and a fun family activity! However, carving a Jack-O-Lantern requires a knife, a sharp and dangerous tool for young children. Make sure you carve your pumpkins in a safe manner!
Choose a large pumpkin without any bruises or mold. Having a large pumpkin makes carving easier, as you literally have more room to work with.
Lay newspaper under the pumpkin. Pumpkin carving, especially with children, is messy, so take this step to protect your furniture.
Find a serrated or other sharp knife. Pumpkins are thick, and a strong instrument will help you use your strength more efficiently.
Have your hand on the knife at all times. Your children may want to help, and, while that’s great, safety comes first. Your children can “help” you by having their hands on yours while you carve the pumpkin, but you want to control this sharp object yourself.
Cut off the top to expose the inside of the pumpkin. Give your children gloves, and let them scoop out the inside of the pumpkin themselves — they’ll probably have fun playing with the mushy material!
Finish cleaning the inside of the pumpkin yourself with a large spoon or scraper to ensure it is as clean as possible!
Draw on the pumpkin before you carve. Let your children draw the face on a piece of paper first, then copy the drawing onto the pumpkin using a marker.
Carve the face. Make sure your children aren’t using the knife! Afterwards, throw the innards and leftover pieces in the trash, then mount a candle inside the pumpkin to prepare it for Halloween!
