P is for Pumpkin

Circle Time

Pumpkin Songs and Stories, and Pumpkin Books

Activities
Orange Playdough
Peg Board
Pouring Beans
Pom Poms

Felt Board
Pumpkin and face pieces

Art Study
Battle of the Pyramids by Watteau

Snack
Pudding

Arts and Crafts
Painting miniature pumpkins
Carving Jack-o-Lanterns

Cooking
Pumpkin Pie

Other
We went on a family field trip to the pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin Painting

Carving pumpkins is a really popular pumpkin activity, and a ton of fun. But painting pumpkins, either big ones or the small miniature ones, can be just as much fun.

Great Pumpkin Books

Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin by Mary Serfozo

I just loved the fun wordplay in this tale of a young tiger named Peter in search of the perfect pumpkin, "Not a lumpy bumpy pumpkin. Not a stumpy, grumpy pumpkin, but a sunny sumtuous pumpkin." Beautiful rhymes matched with beautiful illustrations of swirling paint streaks of gold, yellow, and purple.



Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper

Cat, Squirel, and Duck all live cozily together, each with special tasks, right down to their preparation of pumpkin soup. Until one day when Duck decides that he wants to stir! With warm, rich, and enchantingly detailed illustrations this is a beautifully told story about friendship and sharing, and it even includes a recipe for pumpkin soup.


The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis

This isnt the first Lewis book I've recommended on here and I'd be surprised if it was the last. It's a bit of a tongue twister, but the "thumpin bumpin" rhythm of the text was a perfect match for the pumpkin crashing thru the family farm and wrecking havoc in this fun and spunky book.


Pumpkin Day! by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

This isn't the first Wallace book I've recommended on here either, and I know it wont be the last. I love her cut-out illustrations, and how she is able to include so much information; jack-o-lantern history, different varieties of pumpkins, ect in each of her books without ever breaking the rhythm of the story. This one even has pumpkin jokes sprinkled throughout. It finishes off with a recipe for pumpkin seeds as well as pumpkin muffins.

BONUS HALLOWEEN BOOK

Mouse's First Halloween by Lauren Thompson

The Mouse's First books are all winners, and this one is no exception. With its gorgeous double spread illustrations I thought it had just the perfect amount of creepiness for the very youngest of trick-or-treaters.

Pumpkin Songs and Stories

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater by Mother Goose
Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater,
Had a wife and couldnt keep her,
Put her in a pumpkin shell,
And there he kept her very well.

Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate, (hold fingers up)
The first one said "oh my its getting late," (hands on cheeks)
The second one said "there's a chill in the air," (hug self)
The third one said "but we don't care," (shrug)
The fourth one said "we're ready for some fun," (jump)
The fifth one said "lets run, run, run," (run in place)
So woo went the wind, and out went the lights, (clap)
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight (roll arms).