Pumpkin Craft with Tissue

Description

Make this Halloween pumpkin using tissue and Elmer's glue. Read a few Halloween books and do this as a culminating project. The children then wrote a sentence or two about their pumpkin and we hung these all around the classroom.

Materials for this Pumpkin Craft

A writing and art activity for pumpkins.
  • Black Construction Paper
  • Pencil or Print our free Printable Pumpkin Outline.
  • Orange Tissue Paper
  • Green Tissue Paper
  • Elmer's Glue
  • Small dish and brush
  • Acrylic Spray (optional but recommended)

Helpful Items

  • Scissors
  • Small tray, plate or container for the tissue squares
  • Newspaper to work on
  • Art smock or old shirt

Steps

making a tissue Jack-o-Lantern Picture
  • Draw a pumpkin shape with pencil on the black paper. Show your child the outlines.
  • To do this in a classroom, we have also provided a free printable that you can use as Stencil. Print it out and trace on a manilla folder or oaktag and cut out to create a stencil.
  • In a small dish put about a tablespoon (3 teaspoons) of Elmer's glue and about two teaspoons of water. Mix thoroughly with brush. For a larger amount keep the 3:2 ratio.
  • Brush half the pumpkin with the Elmer's glue mixture. A brush about 3/4 inch wide works well.
  • Lay tissue squares onto the glue. Brush another light coat of Elmer's glue over the tissue very gently or the tissue will move or tear.
  • Add a second of tissue. Again lightly brush the tissue with glue. Add a third layer if you want more color or leave it a little more sheer with just two.
  • Brush glue on the other half of the pump kin. Lay squares again in two or three layers.
  • Add green tissue for the stem.
  • Brush over entire picture lightly to seal all edges.
  • Glue on eyes, nose and mouth cut from black construction paper.
  • Let dry.
  • For a light shine, spray with acrylic spray in well ventilated area. (Adult only)This will help protect the picture and makes it look finished.

Tips and Suggestions

If your child is a young toddler you can brush on the glue and let your child just lay the tissue on the glue.

Other Ideas

Make other Halloween subjects like a ghost with white tissue or a black cat on orange construction paper, a bat on white.

Educational Tip

Read a Halloween story about a pumpkin. Have your child give their pumpkin a name or have your child tell you a simple sentence about the pumpkin and write it for him or her on another sheet of paper.