Safe Pumpkin Carving Tips for Families with Children

Today, pumpkin carving is more of a family art project, oftentimes leading to toasted pumpkin seeds and funny faces on the front porch. To make sure pumpkin carving is safe and family-friendly at your house, follow the tips and alternative ideas below so everyone can participate!

How to have a safe carving experience:

• Say "no" to slipping. Make sure your pumpkin is clean and dry. Any moisture on your hands, tools or table could cause your hand to slip, which can lead to injury.
• Watch those hands. Consider carving before taking the top off of the pumpkin. This way little hands are less tempted to hold the pumpkin from the inside, putting them in the direct path of the tools.
• Have parental guidance. Instead of letting younger children carve pumpkins, allow them to draw the design on the pumpkin with a marker and let the adults do the carving.
• All guts, no gore. Leave the gutting to the kids! Since the smaller children should avoid sharp tools, let the children grab a spoon and take over the job of emptying the pumpkin. 

Who said you need to carve?

If putting sharp tools in the hands of your child sounds like too much of a risk, there's other ways to make your pumpkin is festive for fall. No pumpkins? No problem! Get crafty with jars, bottles or even fruits instead. Here's some ideas to spark your creativity without the need for carving.

• Grab paint, stickers, yarn or even glitter to decorate pumpkins. The pumpkins will last longer and will allow your young ones to get more creative.
• Decorate clean, empty bottles or jars with construction paper, streamers or ribbon with a Halloween theme. These are great for inside or outside decorating.
• Use Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head pieces to bring your pumpkins to life. I’ll bet no one else’s pumpkin will have ears!
• If your family isn’t a fan of pumpkin, carving other fruits like pineapple and watermelon can be a fun option too. Get creative!

There are so many ways to get the entire family involved and excited for the fall season. Just make sure you use the right tools and techniques for your family to ensure everyone stays safe and has a spooktacular fall!