painted pumpkins | jane can

Pumpkins are the perfect canvas for crafting! There are so many fun ways to decorate pumpkins, almost as many as decorating Easter eggs. Last year, we focused on carve free pumpkin decorating, so this year we decided to go crazy with color!

Color Block Pumpkins

Pumpkins are really fun to paint. For the most vivid colors it is best to use white pumpkins or white craft pumpkins. You can also paint a layer of white paint on the pumpkins before you add color. For a smooth finish, spray paint is best, but acrylic paint is more fun for kids. To make a color block pumpkin, cover part of the pumpkin in painter’s tape making any design you would like. Next, spray paint the exposed part of the pumpkin. You may need to paint more than one coat. Let the paint dry a bit and remove the tape.

Confetti Pumpkin

Confetti pumpkins are super easy to make and really fun for kids. Cover all or part of the pumpkin in glue with a foam brush. Sprinkle the pumpkin with confetti and let it dry. Once the glue has dried shake off the excess confetti. We used Knot & Bow’s tiny rainbow confetti, but it would also be fun to use Knot & Bow’s large party confetti.

Painted Pumpkins

There are a million ways to paint a pumpkin, but we could not pick a color, so we painted a few in every color! These pumpkins were painted with spray paint, but if your little kids want to get in on the action we recommend using acrylic paint. If your kids are doing the painting, tape up the stem so they can hold it while the paint they pumpkin. We recommend painting the pumpkins outside on a drop cloth in paint clothes because this can definitely get messy!

Brushstroke Pumpkins

A brushstroke pumpkin is also a colorful way to decorate a pumpkin. Buy a white pumpkin or white craft pumpkin and pick 5-7 of your favorite paint colors. Paint random little brushstrokes all over the pumpkin. If your kids are involved with the painting, you could also cut little pieces of sponges and paint the pumpkins the same way we did our rainbow pots for St. Patrick’s Day.

There is no wrong way to decorate a pumpkin. Have fun with it and get creative!

Happy decorating!