It seems as though every year about this time is the same story.  We start seeing all the pumpkins arriving at the store; lining the walls, strategically stacked on each other.  Big, beautiful California pumpkins and gourds.  Different sizes, shapes and colors just begging to be taken home. 

My kids get super excited to buy one for themselves with hopes of carving up the scariest, most sinister looking jack-o-lantern.  So, we buy a cart load of pumpkins and haul them to the car with hopes and dreams of a wonderful night of carving and family togetherness.  Sounds great, right?

Here’s what actually happens:  We buy the pumpkins and my kids complain because they can’t carve them right. Then I carve them.  The end.

So, this year I’ve decided to show my kids we can have fun together without struggling with the knife!   I can’t wait to load up on all those California pumpkins and have a REAL family fun night getting ready for Halloween.

Glow in the Dark Pumpkin

Glow in the dark paint is easy to find at your local craft store and makes quite the impact, especially at night when it counts!

Caught in a Web Pumpkin

This one is super easy, especially for toddlers.  Let them go crazy and make their own web design using simple kitchen twine and catch creepy spiders  

Sunflower Seed Owl PUMPKIN

I love this idea!  You could create a fox, raccoon, or even the traditional jack-o-lantern using sunflower seeds!

Melted Crayon Pumpkin

Kids love melted crayons!  How about let your kid choose their favorite colors, or create this rainbow effect. 

Googly Eye Pumpkin

What could be more fun (or easy) than sticking googly eyes on that round, orange head?

Cookie Cutter Pumpkin

What a fabulous idea!  Using a rubber mallet, hold the cookie cutter while your kid whacks it in to make these cute shapes!

Fall Foliage Pumpkin

Nothing goes better together than fall leaves and pumpkins.  Use a little Mod Podge to apply the foliage.  You could even let the kids make animal faces with the leaves.  

Minion Pumpkin

Minions are all the rage this year, and pumpkins are not spared.  Using acrylic paint and a little imagination, you can make these hilarious front porch companions.  

Brad Tack Pumpkin

Colorful office/craft brads are easily pushed in to the flesh of a pumpkin and creates an adorable polka dot type effect

Ombre Spiderweb Pumpkin

Using craft tape, your kids can make a spider web design and you can help them with the painting!

Ric Rac Pumpkin

Scour through your overflowing supply of ribbon and make these easy, stress-free pumpkins

Neon Dipped Pumpkins

If you have tweens or teens, you realize how popular neon is again!  These are super simple to make and create quite an impact

Thumb Tack Pumpkin

The sky is the limit with the designs you could create with cool and inexpensive thumb tacks.  I’m thinking swirls and stars would be great!

What an awesome idea!  Change your message everyday in October by using chalkboard paint and everyday chalk on these pumpkins.

Butternut Squash Moose

Okay, so it’s not a pumpkin.  But, when you think outside the box you can use any gourd to have fun with this Halloween.  

I hope you’ve been inspired to stop wielding the knives and start having fun with your pumpkin decorating!  

Happy Halloween!