Beaded Pumpkins: a fall fine motor activity!

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These beaded pumpkins are so much fun to make, use real-life practical skills, strengthen fine motor skills, and let your kiddos express their own creativity in a safe, fall-themed decoration!



Last year I told you how hammering golf tees into pumpkins has been an annual tradition here for many years.  This year, I wanted to try something just a little bit different...something that would be easy for our youngest kiddos to participate in.  They always love hammering the golf tees, but this year we have more toddlers that would get frustrated with trying to balance the golf tee and the hammer at the same time.  I decided to try using real nails (because they have a small head) and putting colored pony beads on the nails.  



Everybody, regardless of their age, enjoyed choosing colors and placing the beads.  The "older" kiddos (three and up!) were beyond thrilled to hammer real nails into the pumpkin!

Simple Supplies

* pumpkin
* nails
* hammer (we used child sized hammers)
* pony beads

Easy How To

1- Arrange all materials so your children can reach it easily.  We did this outside.  After our initial "lab," I kept the pumpkin, beads, and a hammer on a low counter.  The nails were stored on a higher counter that the older kiddos could reach, but not the younger.

2- Your kids will figure out what to do!  If you really want to demonstrate, go ahead...just try to give your kiddos enough room to work!



This is a fabulous fine motor activity...kids love it, and it strengthens little muscles that they will need for cutting and writing in a few short years!




3- Ta da!!  A Beaded Pumpkin!!



This pumpkin looks significantly different on each side, and that's totally okay!  I already told you I kept him in a spot where the kids could work on him.  Over the next few days his beads were rearranged countless times, and he had quite a few more nails and beads added.  The bead bucket may have been spilled once or twice, but it's totally worth it!

Do you have any pumpkin decorating traditions?  I'd love to know!!

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Comments

Unknown said…
I love this! I'll try it with some similar local fruit from where I live. So cute to see those little chubby fingers in your photos!
September 30, 2014 at 1:57 AM
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