Easy Pumpkin Craft Perfect for Last Minute Halloween Fun

Little paper plates are a crafting staple! They are right up there with markers and glue. In spring we like to use them to make flowers, in summer they become the sun, in winter they can be cut like snowflakes, and in fall we use them for a jack-o-lantern or pumpkin craft!

These jack-o-lanterns are easy and so cheery (we can have cheery jack-o-lanterns, right?). My preschoolers asked to make multiple versions and proudly displayed each one in our art area.

How to make this Paper Plate Pumpkin Craft

Gather the necessary supplies. Also, be sure to have more than one paper plate available for each child, because this craft begs to be repeated!

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Supplies for Paper Plate Jack-O-Lanterns

• Paper plates
• Orange dot markers
• Black marker
• Green construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue

This activity is so low-prep, you can get it together the night before Halloween (or Halloween day) without breaking a sweat. (This is one reason we have those little paper plates always on hand! They can always be counted on for last minute crafts!)

To make the craft, first draw on a jack-o-lantern face on the paper plate. Each child may draw one from their imagination or use an example to follow.

Next, give each child an orange dot marker. Let them cover their plates in orange circles. They can dot right on top of the black marker without worry.

The overlapping orange dots made really cool art effect that intrigued my kids! (It might be my mom brain, but I kind of think the circles look like orange coffee ring stains. Anyone else see that?)

The last step is to glue on a piece of green construction paper for the stem. That completes this simple paper plate jack-o-lantern pumpkin craft! How many of them will your kids make?

Tip: You can also use green tape instead of construction paper to tape these little jack-o-lanterns right in a window!

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Clarissa Hooper

Writer at Munchkins and Moms

Clarissa is a former elementary teacher turned homeschool mom and blogger at Munchkins and Moms. She loves to share creative preschool activities that are both playful and educational. Don’t forget to follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for more inspiration!

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