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The world of pumpkin crafts just got a fun twist! Ditch those brushes because today, we’re painting with…cotton balls! Yes, you read that right. This cotton ball pumpkin painting activity not only promises a hearty dose of fun but is also a fantastic way to boost your child’s motor skills and creativity. So, let’s roll up those sleeves and delve into this fluffy, painty extravaganza.

Golden Tips For A Mess-Free Fun Time

Set the Scene: Lay down some old newspapers or a disposable tablecloth to ensure easy cleanup post-painting.
Wardrobe Check: Make sure your kiddo is in old clothes. Even though this craft is relatively mess-free, it’s always better to be prepared for some paint splatters.
Mix it Up: Don’t just stop at pumpkins! Once your child gets the hang of it, introduce more templates like apples, acorns, or even Halloween shapes.

WILL YOU MAKE THIS COTTON BALL PAINTED PUMPKIN WITH YOUR CHILD? PIN IT FOR LATER!

Here’s What You’ll Need

Our specially designed free pumpkin template printable
Cotton balls
Clothespins
Orange and green paint
Black construction paper
Scissors
Glue

Let’s Get Crafting a Cotton Ball Painted Pumpkin

Start off by printing out our exclusive pumpkin template.

Secure a cotton ball using a clothespin. This will act as your makeshift paintbrush, but oh, so much more fun!

Dip the cotton ball into the orange paint and dab it all over the pumpkin template. Encourage your little ones to notice how the cotton ball creates a unique texture on paper, different from the traditional brush strokes.

Once the orange is all set, switch to green paint to dab on the pumpkin’s stalk. Set it aside the dry.

Cut out jack-o-lantern eyes and mouth from black construction paper and glue them pumpkin.

Voila! Your child’s cotton ball masterpiece is ready to be displayed.

Skills in Spotlight

Fine Motor Skills: Gripping the clothespin helps in muscle development essential for tasks like writing.
Sensory Exploration: The soft texture of the cotton ball, combined with the wetness of the paint, provides a sensory-rich experience.
Color Recognition: Identifying and using colors like orange and green can be an initial step towards color recognition and differentiation.

Pumpkin crafts have always been an autumn favorite, but with the cotton ball twist, it becomes a tactile and visual delight. As kids revel in this simple yet effective art technique, they also inadvertently hone crucial skills. So, while their little hands get busy dabbing and painting, know that they’re crafting not just a pumpkin, but also a foundation for many developmental milestones. Happy crafting!

Age Suitability

This activity is good for toddlers aged children 1 year old and up with adult assistance.

Mess Level

The mess level for this activity is medium, see tips above.

Difficulty to Create

Low.

Skills Developed

Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.

Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!

Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers

There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!

But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.

Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.

Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!

These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!

Click here for more information: Play2Learn

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids

Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.

Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.

Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.

Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids

Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.

Find out more and grab your copy here.

Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.

Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids

Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.

350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.

Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!

Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.

TV Show: Curious Crafting

I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.

Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!

Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.

In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.

Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.

This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.

The Best Sensory Play Kits for Kids

Play is at the core of learning during the early years and it can take many forms. One of the most important of these is sensory play because it engages all of a child’s senses (taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing) and has a enoumous positive impact on brain development.

Our Sensory Play Kits are some fun and easy ways to keep your child engaged while at the same time using sensory play to nurture their mind!

Shop our ready made play kits here.