6 Pumpkin Carving Tips Every Parent Needs to Know

Set yourself up for success and choose an area for carving your pumpkins that will make clean-up easy. Open a large heavy-duty trash bag, place it on the ground and clean out the pumpkins directly on top. Afterward, just close the trash bag and toss it right in the garbage.

Skip the premade stencils this year. Let your kids create a truly one-of-a-kind pumpkin by encouraging them to draw their own design directly on it. Use a dry erase marker so they can easily wipe off mistakes or add last-minute changes before you start carving. 

When they’re satisfied with their design, have them trace over it with a pencil (remember to press hard) so you have indents to follow if you accidentally wipe off the marker while carving. 

This saves you from fussing with paper templates and ensures everyone is happy with the finished product. Make sure you snap a few pictures when you’re finished so you’ll always remember these unique creations.

If you don’t have enough pumpkin carving kits to go around, give your kid an ice cream scoop to clean out their pumpkin. This will save you from bending all the handles on your kitchen spoons. The sturdy handle of the ice cream scoop can easily withstand the force needed to scrape out the gooey insides. Make it fun for the kids by setting a timer to see how fast they can clean out their pumpkins.

Help your pumpkin survive until Halloween this year with the help of petroleum jelly. Spread a thin layer on the cut edges to help protect your pumpkin from heat, moisture and bugs. This is an especially important step if you live in a hot, humid climate. Come Halloween night your pumpkin will be ready to greet trick-or-treaters instead of decomposing on your porch.

Swap out the traditional candle inside your pumpkin for something safer and more fun. Grab a battery-operated tea light so you don’t have to worry about burns or forgetting to blow it out before bed. You could also experiment with adding a small strand of twinkle lights or a colored glow stick for a fun twist. Is your pumpkin carved to look like a witch? Add a purple glow stick for a wicked accent. Frankenstein pumpkin? Go with a green one.

Make pumpkin carving something everyone will look forward to by turning it into a party. Gather your closest friends and family to knock out all the carving at once. You’ll likely have plenty of extra adults and older siblings on hand to help the younger kids. Use this as an opportunity to bond and make treasured memories. Have a contest to see who has the best, funniest or scariest pumpkin in the group. You’re sure to awaken everyone’s competitive spirit. 

Use these tips to make this your best pumpkin carving experience yet. If you have younger kids in the family who aren’t ready to carve a pumpkin, consider one of these no-carve options instead.