October is a great month to be a teacher! It’s chalk-full of fun topics: spiders, changing leaves, scarecrows, and PUMPKINS! I’ve always been a fan of pumpkins, from searching high and low for the perfect pumpkin in a large patch to sipping a pumpkin spiced latte from Starbucks, they are quite a treat!
Jenny and I both teach a series of nature-based classes at Cantigny Park. Last week, the topic was pumpkins. For our littlest friends, we simply explored the shape, color, and size of pumpkins. For our slightly older friends (3-5 yr. olds), we were able to get a little more in depth. Children not only explored the shape, color, and size of various pumpkins, but also learned how a pumpkin grows.
We gave the children a chance to investigate the inside of a pumpkin. We were both surprised how many children did not want to touch the inside of the pumpkin. I guess the slimy pumpkin guts and slippery seeds didn’t have any appeal. Who knew? The children noticed that the inside of the large orange pumpkin we cut into was also orange. Then the question arose, what color would the inside of a white pumpkin be?
I had never carved a white pumpkin, so this called for an experiment. I happened to have a small white pumpkin in the Education Center, so after cutting a lid, I carefully lifted it, and low and behold, the white skinned pumpkin still was orange inside, just a bit lighter than the inside of our orange-skinned pumpkin.
I turned to the web for an explanation and learned that most pumpkins are orange in color due to high amounts of lutein, alpha- and beta- carotene. That said, our white skinned pumpkin must have had lower amounts of these vitamins.
(Source: http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-for-your-home-garden/outdoor-living/the-many-colors-of-pumpkins.html)
We had fun in our classes investigating pumpkins, but I thought I’d put together a list of some of my favorite pumpkin activities to try at home with your family:
CRAFTS:
Pumpkin Seed Mosaics
I found this craft on the All Kids Network website. We didn’t do this mosaic with our classes due to the large number of seeds we’d need, but it seems like the perfect project to do at home. If you don’t want to paint the pumpkin seeds, I imagine you could put them in a plastic baggie with some food coloring and a small amount of rubbing alcohol. (This is how we dye our rice and noodles for other craft projects, and it works great.) After the seeds have their desired color, lay them out on newspaper or a paper towel to dry.
ACTIVITIES:
Pumpkin Playdough!
I’ll be honest, I haven’t actually tried this recipe, but it seems like so much fun! The recipe is on the website: http://www.preschooleducation.com/. Let me know how it works!
(NOT FOR EATING)
5 ½ cups flour
2 cups salt
8 teaspoons cream of tartar
¾ cup oil
1.12 ounce container of pumpkin pie spice
Orange food coloring (2 parts yellow, 1 part red)
4 cups water
Mix all of the ingredients together. Cook and stir over medium heat until all the lumps disappear. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth. Store in an airtight container.
Count and Compare Pumpkin Seeds
Count how many seeds inside a couple different sized pumpkins. Is the size of the pumpkin indicative to how many seeds it will contain?
Order Pumpkins
If you have a collection of various sized pumpkins, have your child put them in order from smallest to largest.
Sink or Float
Perform your own sink or float science experiment. Fill a baby pool, sink, or bath tub with water. Have a few pumpkins of various sizes on hand. You might want to include other fruits such as an apple, orange, or green pepper. Make a prediction on whether each will sink or float, then test them out.
SONGS/BOOKS:
Have You Ever Seen A Pumpkin? (author unknown)
(Tune: “Have you ever seen a lassie?”)
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, a pumpkin, a pumpkin,
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?
A round one, a tall one, a bumpy one, a squashed one.
Have you ever seen a pumpkin, that grows on a vine?
(You can add your own adjectives to describe it)
Pumpkin, Pumpkin (author unknown)
(Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”)
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
How'd you get so big and round?
Planted as a seed so small
Now you’re like a great big ball!
Pumpkin, pumpkin on the ground
How'd you get so big and round?
Pumpkins by Ken Robbins
Pumpkin, Pumpkin by Jeanne Titherington
There are many more wonderful learning opportunities using pumpkins. If you have any favorites to share, please do so!
