Skip the Carving: Host a Pumpkin Painting Party Instead

If you’ve ever hosted a pumpkin carving day, you know it can get… a little intense. Between the sharp tools, the mess, and the pumpkin guts everywhere — sometimes it’s just not worth the cleanup (or the panic when an unhinged toddler reaches for the carving knife).

So this year, we skipped the sharp objects and swapped them for paintbrushes — and honestly, it might be my new favorite fall tradition.

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The Setup

I will link everything individually, but I also put together your entire Target order for this party right here (except for the plastic sheet which was way more affordable on Amazon).

I grabbed a few small pumpkins from the grocery store (the perfect size for little hands), a roll of plastic sheeting, and set everything up right on the driveway. Each kid got their own little “painting station” — a pumpkin, a paper plate with a cup of water, and a palette of washable paint in bright, happy colors.

The paints were prepped in small condiment cups so there was no fighting over colors (and minimal spills). The setup was so easy to do ahead of time because they each have little lids! Throw them all out on the countertop the night before, squirt your colors in and you’re done! I used a rainbow mix — pink, orange, green, teal, purple, and of course black and white for accents — because fall can be colorful and cozy.

The Process

The kids dove right in. Some made “rainbow pumpkins,” others went full abstract artist, and one just enjoyed mixing every color together until their pumpkin looked like a moody masterpiece (that one was definitely my kid).

The best part? Zero stress. No sharp tools, no scooping, and no mess inside the house. Just kids creating and laughing on a fall afternoon.

The Cleanup

Here is where it gets really good. When the fun was over, cleanup took all of five minutes — remove the pumpkins, gather the brushes that you want to save, and throw everything else onto the middle of the plastic sheet. Done. All you have to do is ball up the sheet and toss it in the bin.

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Why We’ll Do It Again

This is one of those activities that’s easy to prep, easy to clean, and keeps kids entertained for ages. It’s perfect for a neighborhood playdate, a fall birthday party, or just a cozy weekend at home.

Next time you’re thinking about carving pumpkins, grab some paint instead. Your kids (and your floors) will thank you.