The One With the Felt Pumpkin

Craft Time!

I've been seeing this super cute felt play Christmas tree on Pinterest. It's great for kids to play with independently. They can decorate and redecorate the tree over and over without messing with the real tree!

The tutorial online for the tree is here!

So I decided to make a big felt Jack-O-Lantern for the girls to decorate! I'm not hugely into Halloween, but I do love cutesy pumpkins. 

All you need is:

-1 yard of orange felt ($2.99)

-a few sheets of black felt  (25 cents a sheet)

-additional sheet colors of felt for optional "accessories" (brown for a stem, green for leaves, etc)

Total? Less than $5. Awesome.

All I did was cut the fabric into a pumpkin shape. (I just free-handed it.) 

To stick it to the wall, I tried a few different things. I read online to use command strips, but they didn't work very well.  I found that staples keep the pumpkin up there very well. 

Then I used black felt to make different shaped eyes, noses, and mouths. Wee! It took about 10 minutes for the entire project. 

Char decorating

Em decorating

(different piece options)

I really don't think that the girls understand the theory of decorating pumpkins, but they still are having fun. It gives them a new tactile experience. They love the way the felt feels.  We are also able to discuss the attributes of the pieces (oval, square, triangle) and body parts (eyes, nose, mouth) in order to gain new vocabulary!  I know that we will be able to pull this out again next year and they will really be able to understand and have a blast! You can't beat $5, either!

Hope you make one!