Have you ever really wanted to try a special project with your kids?
A project that involved a little bit of risk?
Like using sharp knives?
I knew carving pumpkins would be something my three-year-old would love. He’s fascinated by the vegetable, and loves how big and colourful they are.
Turning them into an exciting lantern would be the icing on the cake!
But I knew there was no way I could trust him yet with a knife sharp enough to cut a pumpkin.
Sure, he could draw on the designs and then I could cut them out. But I knew that would never satisfy him.
He’s much too hands on to just sit back and watch me using tools and having all the fun.
So I began to wonder; what is the safest way to carve a pumpkin with kids?
I was delighted when I came across this simple idea (in an article from Woman’s Day) of using cookie cutters and a rubber mallet to cut out the shapes.
It allowed me to keep control of the remaining knife work, while he was content with his hammering duties.
Read on for our step by step record of what we did, how it went and the many mistakes we made!
1. Buy a pumpkin
This sounds obvious, but it was a lot trickier than expected!
I think the fact that we have been living with Covid-19 restrictions has made pumpkins even more popular than usual this year.
After trying two supermarkets, I eventually found a little white pumpkin sitting sadly on the vegetable shelf.
It looked unimpressive, but it was better than nothing! Also, the label called it a ghost pumpkin, which immediately made it sound more exciting.
The next day, I came across a more typical orange-coloured one in a local shop. So with our two specimens, we were ready for action.
2. Gather Your Tools
The tools we used for our pumpkins were:
- Rubber mallet
- Variety of cookie cutters
- Sharp kitchen knives
- Metal spoons
I must admit that the selection of knives and spoons I had didn’t really do the job as well as I would have liked, but I had guessed that beforehand anyway.
If you want to take this seriously, you can purchase special tools that make pumpkin carving a lot easier.
It might be a nice family investment if it’s a tradition you plan to keep up year after year.
But this time, we got by and had fun, which is always the main thing!
3. Cut Off The Top and Scoop Out The Insides
Working on the wall, and out of reach of Little Man, I used a small kitchen knife to cut the top off the pumpkin (around the stalk).
The plan had been to keep the top to put back on like a little hat at the end, but an error of judgement got in the way of that!
When I went to scoop out the insides of the pumpkin, I realised I had made the hole at the top too small. This meant that my hand couldn’t fit in comfortably.
I adjusted the hole to the necessary size, but of course, the little hat no longer fit.
So, my advice is to make the hole large enough in the first place. But believe it nor not, I managed to make the same mistake twice!
Afterwards, we worked together to scoop out as much of the pulp and seeds as possible. We used our hands and our spoons to do this, before I used the knife to scrape away as much of the pumpkin wall as I could.
4. Hammer Shapes Into The Pumpkin
Little Man had been dreaming of this the night before. As soon as he woke up, he asked “Mummy, when can we do the hammering?”
I had gathered a selection of cookie cutters, and in the end we used chicks, a teddy bear and stars.
To begin, I placed the cutter on a good spot of the pumpkin. It’s best to find an area without too many ridges.
I then pushed it in slightly to keep it steady, and Little Man started work with the mallet.
Apparently, it is possible to get the shapes to cut all the way through. We didn’t manage, but I think it was because I hadn’t been able to scrape the inner walls down far enough.
We found that smaller cutters worked best. Large ones were more likely to get a little misshapen.
When he had finished hammering, I finished off by cutting out the remaining pieces with the knife.
Safety Tips
Even though I do believe this is the safest way to carve a pumpkin with kids, there is still a bit of risk involved. Here are my tips for keeping it a fun and safe experience for all.
1. Give clear guidelines in advance
Before you even get out the equipment, explain to the children what will be happening. Make sure they know what they can and can’t touch and do.
2. Always know where your tools are
It’s easy to lose track of a knife when you put it down between steps, or to help a child. Why not have a box that it always goes back into when not in use? Ideally, keep it at a height and out of reach.
3. Do Your Cutting Out of Children’s Reach
It’s so easy for an excited little person to get too close to a knife, or to shove you accidentally while you’re working. Try to do the cutting where they can’t interfere but can still see.
From my own experience, this is as much for your own safety as theirs!
4. Protect Little Fingers From the Mallet
At first, I had thought I would show Little Man how to hold the cutter in place to hammer it. I quickly realised this was a recipe for disaster. He was way too excited!
So use the tip I mentioned already of pressing the cutter into the skin a little first. Then everyone can hammer to their hearts’ content!
The Safest Way To Carve A Pumpkin With Kids
I’d really encourage you to give this method a go!
It’s fun, and there is a role for all ages in the family from toddler to teen. Teenagers might like preparing the pumpkin and carving more intricate details themselves.
Even babies can get involved in their own sleepy way!
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And if you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP.