A Last Look at Pumpkins – Painting Patterns

by Early Math Counts

If you have any pumpkins left – and I hope you do – there is one last creative art project you can do with the children that will promote the concept of patterning.

Pumpkins have natural grooves in them that go from the root of the stem to the bottom.  The are usually parallel to one another and create this sense of having “stripes” all around.

It might be fun to have the children paint their pumpkins as a “last hurrah” for the pumpkin unit.  (I would probably do some sort of cooking activity as well – i.e. healthy pumpkin bread.) Painting the pumpkins with a pattern of color might be interesting to some of the children.  You could show them the stripes and then explain that patterns are something that repeat in a predictable way.  If you have an American flag, you could show the children the red and white stripes and explain that the red,white, red, white, design is a pattern, because it repeats.

Ask the children if they want to make patterns on their pumpkins.  Some may, some may not.  Some may want to simply paint their pumpkins in their own creative way. I would encourage that as well.  For those who want to create a pattern, ask them what colors they want in their patterns and then set them up with the paint, pumpkin, and brushes, on a covered table.  This one is gonna get messy!

 

21 Replies to “A Last Look at Pumpkins – Painting Patterns”

  1. This is a great idea. It allows students to be creative, artistic, and to also use fine motor and pattern skills.

  2. Jennifer W. I love how we can take something so simple like a pumpkin and create a pattern with it.

  3. After we use the pumpkin to paint a pattern on, we will cut it open and use the sides to make patterns on the outer portion as well as the seeds. I never would have thought of some many things for a pumpkin.

  4. I like this activity and the flexibility it offers. This will work with paint or sticker stars. Many options.

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