Happy fall to everyone out there in the Do Art Nation!
As you know, we are huge fans of not only art, but those things which are typically lumped together as “crafts.” Whether DIY Drums or Pokemon beads, we enjoy promoting versatile modes of creation and expression.
This weekend was no exception! My sister’s family visited for the weekend, and we took some time to carve pumpkins! I haven’t dabbled in pumpkin carving in a long time, but I’ve been fascinated by some of the efforts I’ve seen at libraries and front porches all over America. My niece and nephews picked out pumpkins from a local pumpkin patch–my oldest nephew chose a white pumpkin. Then on Saturday afternoon they gathered around a table in the backyard and we got started!
Just like with any paint workshop, I followed a relatively simple formula. You explain the step: first we drew designs in marker, then cut open the pumpkin and hollowed it out, then carved our design into it. The key is to explain in relatively simple terms and have them follow along. Then, especially for the “hollowing out” phase, you have them get started and then help them out after a few minutes. “Hollowing out” the pumpkin is probably the phase of pumpkin carving that feels the most like a chore. We cut a hole into the bottom rather than the top of the pumpkin–my mom’s idea, which made it easier to put the finished jack o’lantern on a plate with a tea light. Some instructors and parents will be tempted to take over this phase, especially if you have a more finicky kid like my older nephew, who thought the pumpkin innards were “yucky.” But rather than just taking over, you show them how to hollow out the pumpkin and scrape the pulp off the sides. Some of the hollowing out gets done here, and then you have them take over again. If you’re lucky and the kids chose smaller pumpkins (like my niece and nephews did) this is relatively simple. But the key is to persist in the back-and-forth, rather than getting stuck in power games or taking over for them.
We also took a break to dance around and play outside! My older nephew ran out to the tree swing. My niece danced to KPOP demon hunters. Adding a few breaks to stand up and move around made it easier to corral them back into pumpkin carving, especially once we were done hollowing out the pumpkins. This is easier to do outdoors with a small number of kids. But especially at longer events with younger kids you see a powerful impulse to move, to be distracted. Rather than discouraging this outright, I like to let them move around a bit if they’re being safe, and then move them back into the activity by asking questions about what we’re doing. Like with any of our workshops the goal is to maximize participation and empowering the audience through creative thinking.
Towards the end, I got my parents to come outside and help them! My dad helped my younger nephew with the final stages of carving, which helped because his pumpkin had two teeth in its mouth that required a little more finesse with the knife. Then we took pictures of the finished product. I was particularly proud of my older nephew, who kept working at his pumpkin until it was finished, and added an amazing smile!
I don’t know if we’ll add “pumpkin carving” to our list of workshops, but who knows! What kind of crafts to YOU like to do this time of year? Reach out to us and let us know. And, never stop creating!
