My youngest kid asked me last week if I could teach him to draw a real pumpkin. Thanks to the cool doodle ideas I explored at A Beautiful Madness, I tried a pumpkin doodle recently and was happy to teach it to my kid. So, we sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed whatever paper was closest. I drew the simple pumpkin and it turned out cute enough that I taped it up on the fridge, right next to the crooked butterfly he made in April.
If you want something quick for your kids or even a little seasonal doodle for yourself, I did it the following way. If you have a pumpkin at home already, this chalk and craft pumpkin creation or pumpkin play activities could be more fun.
How to draw a pumpkin
What you’ll need
You just need paper, a pencil, an eraser, and something to color with. If you have markers, crayons, whatever, that’s a plus.
Step 1: Start with a big oval
You do not have to make it perfect. I drew it a little to the left, which somehow made it look friendlier. Kids do not have any issue with the symmetry. As long as it’s kind of wide, it works.
Step 2: Add those rib lines
You would have seen pumpkins having curved lines going top to bottom. I added three quick wobbly ones. The wobblier they are, the more “pumpkin-ish” it looks. My son found it smiling at him, without even a face.
Step 3: The stem
Then you need a small rectangle or a chunky little shape on top. I curved the bottom of mine a bit so it looked like it was actually sitting on the pumpkin instead of taped on. If your kid draws it sideways, leave it. Sideways stems add a character to the drawing.
Step 4: Give it a face (or don’t)
I created triangle eyes because they’re easy to make. My son wanted a “circle nose,” so I did that, and then added a goofy mouth with two teeth. But honestly, if you just want a plain pumpkin, you can skip the face. Instead, you can add a swirl-y vine off the stem.
Print out these Halloween mindfulness printables for kids after the drawing time is done. It will help you transition to the next activity in a calm way.
Step 5: Outline and color
We traced over everything with a black pen and erased the messy pencil lines. Lastly, we shaded it orange. I made one rib too dark accidently. But when I stepped back it rather looked like a shadow. Sometimes your imperfections create something unique for you.
A few fun twists:
● Toddlers can just scribble inside the oval. It still feels like fall art and keeps them busy long enough for a warm drink.
● Try drawing it on black paper with chalk. It has a really cozy Halloween vibe.
● Make tiny pumpkins and turn them into a garland. We did three before my son got bored but it still hangs above his bookshelf.
Little learning moments
You can sneak in shape names without making it a lesson. I just said things like “let’s make triangle eyes” or “draw a curve like a rainbow.” They pick it up naturally. And because you do it together, half the fun is just chatting about why one pumpkin looks sleepy and the other looks like it ate too much candy.
