Tape Resist Painted Pumpkins for Kids

These tape resist painted pumpkins are the perfect fall or Halloween craft for kids to make. They are a great activity for toddlers as young as one year old all the way up to grade school-age children. They can be customized to fit the child’s interests or made to look like traditional Halloween jack-o-lanterns. 

For this activity, you will need painter’s tape or duct tape, a pumpkin, acrylic paints, and a paintbrush. You may also need scissors to cut the tape to size if desired. You can choose to let children explore with colors of choice or make a more decorative painted pumpkin with black or white acrylic paint.

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For minimal mess when completing this activity with younger toddler age children, I would highly suggest doing this craft on a tarp or in a plastic swimming pool. Plastic swimming pools are amazing when doing crafts or sensory bins for kids as the mess stays contained inside and you can wipe them down. I would also suggest using one of these whole body art smock bibs to help keep their clothes from getting paint on.

For an additional fall activity for kids, be sure to also check out these fall leaf wreaths. They are super simple and involve going on a nature hunt to collect fall leaves.

Tape Resist Painted Pumpkins

Materials

• Painter’s tape OR duct tape
• Pumpkin
• Paintbrush
• Acrylic paint in any colors
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Using scissors, cut painter’s tape to the lengths and widths you desire.
2. Stick painter’s tape down onto the pumpkin to create desired images. Possible ideas include a traditional jack o’lantern face, letters/words, a ghost, a shape, etc…
3. Smooth the tape out and make sure all corners are pushed all the way down and stuck well to the pumpkin.
4. Using paint in desired colors, let children paint their pumpkins all over. Be sure to cover the area with the tape completely in paint so your image shows up clearly.
5. Let the paint dry.
6. Remove the tape slowly and reveal the image underneath.