Nothing screams fall quite like a pumpkin. Once the air turns crisp and leaves start to yellow, perfect orange pumpkins begin to appear all around. You may be itching to throw a pumpkin carving party—but why not try something different? This year, forgo the carving knives for paints, brushes, and glitter. Say goodbye to pumpkin carving and hello to pumpkin decorating!
There are many reasons to decorate a pumpkin rather than carve it. For one, carving pumpkins is a hassle—and a dangerous one at that! It’s hard to cut through a pumpkin’s tough flesh even with the sharpest of knives, let alone do so in an aesthetically pleasing way. Plus, scooping out the seeds is a slimy mess. On top of it all, a carved pumpkin has a shorter lifetime than an uncarved one.
Whether you’re looking for Halloween decor that’s cute or spooky, pumpkin decorating is the way to go. Read on to explore an array of pumpkin decorating ideas.
- Creative Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
- Simple & Easy Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
- Spooky Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
- Enjoy No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating
Creative Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
The amazing thing about pumpkin decorating is that the options are truly endless. The pumpkin is your canvas and you're the artist! You’re not just limited to whatever shape you can carefully cut. Instead, you can let your creativity flourish. We’re not just talking paints; we’re talking glitter, string, paper, pom-poms, googly eyes, and more.
If you love to think outside the box, try one of these creative pumpkin decorating ideas this Halloween.
String art pumpkin
Classic string art makes the perfect addition to any pumpkin. You’ll start by picking a design for your pumpkin and sketching it on the flesh. Next, drive nails into your pumpkin along the shape of the outline. From there, it’s as easy as wrapping string back and forth between the nails until you’ve got a look that you like.
Disco ball pumpkin
Do you love the small details of art? This creative pumpkin decorating idea is for you. Turn your common orange pumpkin into a gorgeous, dazzling disco ball. This one doesn’t require much skill but needs a bit of patience. Simply cover every inch of your pumpkin in shiny, self-adhesive mirrored tiles, which you can find at your local craft store.
Marbled pumpkin
Marbling your pumpkin makes cool, modern home decor—and it’s the perfect way to use up all those old nail polish colors you never use. With a few bottles of polish and a tub of water, this unique pumpkin decorating idea is a breeze. Small, long-stemmed pumpkins work best for marbling. Just pour various nail polish colors into a tub of water, swirl with a toothpick, and dip your pumpkin.
Decoupaged pumpkin
This pumpkin decorating idea is perfect for those who want festive fall decor on a budget. Decoupage your pumpkin with decorative paper napkins, like those commonly found at your local dollar store. This is a great idea for a fall birthday party; decoupage your pumpkin in the same napkins that guests will be using at the party for matching decor.
For this craft, put down a layer of glue, apply the napkins in whatever pattern you like, and cover with another layer of glue to seal everything in place.
Simple & Easy Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
There’s something magical about celebrating holidays with kids, and Halloween is no different. These simple pumpkin decorating ideas are easy enough for a night in with your kids—or even a gaggle of tots to try at a Halloween birthday party.
Fingerprint pumpkin
With a little imagination, a plain fingerprint can be transformed into ghastly ghosts, spooky spiders, or eerie eyeballs. This is a simple pumpkin decorating idea to execute. Kids can dip their fingertips into paint, press them onto their pumpkins, and decorate with markers once dry.
Mummy pumpkin
Another easy idea for decorating pumpkins that kids will love. You’ll need a several-yards long strip of gauze or white fabric. Secure one end to the pumpkin using hot glue and let the kids wrap away. Once the other end is in place, add googly eyes for the finishing touch.
Sticker pumpkin
Every kid’s got a stash of a million stickers; put them to good use by decorating a pumpkin with them. It’s as easy as it sounds: kids can stick stickers to their pumpkins however their little hearts desire.
Sprinkle pumpkin
Sprinkle-shaped stickers are easy to find online or make at home if you have the right tools. For this simple pumpkin decorating idea, all your kids need to do is stick the sprinkles onto the pumpkin. Leave the pumpkin orange or paint it a fun color before sprinkling it to ensure it stands out.
Spooky Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
Looking for unique pumpkin decorating ideas that’ll make your house the talk of the town? Look no further than these spooky pumpkin decorating ideas, perfect for horror lovers and anyone who wants to make a stir.
Dracula pumpkin
Gather your favorite black, red, and white paints: it’s time to make a Dracula pumpkin! Don’t forget Dracula’s signature fangs and little droplets of blood. You can even use construction paper and a bit of glue to give him a dashing cape.
Mini spider pumpkins
This is a unique pumpkin decorating idea for those little pumpkins that you find at the grocery store. With some paint, a package of pipe cleaners, and a little creativity, you can have a whole gaggle of spooky pumpkin spiders. Mini spider pumpkins also make great additions to your yearly “Booing” tradition.
Cyclops pumpkin
A super easy decoration idea for pumpkins is a Cyclops pumpkin. You’ll just need to paint one eye! Customize the eye color and size to your choosing. Cover the pumpkin in a giant, scary eye, or put a silly, tiny eyeball right in the center.
Sugar skull pumpkin
If you’ve got an eye for intricate design, a sugar skull pumpkin will be a fun challenge. Inspired by Mexican folk art used to celebrate Dia de los Muertos, sugar skull pumpkins feature skeleton faces with colorful decorations, like feathers, glitter, beads, and more.
Enjoy No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating
It’s fun to get festive for the holidays, and these pumpkin decorating ideas offer a fresh and new take on the classically carved pumpkin. Whether you’re hosting a spooky haunted house or decorating for fall, fill your home with no-carve pumpkins. They’re the perfect addition to your autumn or Halloween party and will look great on the table alongside delicious Halloween cookies and other treats from Mrs. Fields®.