Clara is still a few years away from being trusted with carving tools, so each autumn we look for toddler-friendly ways to include her in pumpkin decorating. When she was five months old we used the outline of her hand to inspire a feminine take on a Jack-o’-Lantern. As she grew, our ideas evolved with her abilities.
Last year, once she could control her fingers a bit better, we let her finger-paint pumpkins that we had pre-taped to reveal simple designs. It was messy in the best way, and she loved the tactile process.
This year we tried a twist on that idea: tissue paper “stickers” applied with Mod Podge to create colorful, toddler-friendly pumpkins. The project gave Clara the sticker experience she adores while staying safe and simple for a little one.
Clara is obsessed with stickers, so instead of buying sticker sheets we made our own using tissue paper and some Mod Podge we already had. Sherry dug through leftover tissue from Clara’s pink-and-orange birthday party and cut circles in two sizes. She used a roll of electrical tape as a template—tracing the outside for larger dots and the inside for smaller ones—proving that you can use whatever you have on hand.
I brushed a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the pumpkin, and Clara placed the tissue circles wherever she wanted. Her confidence and concentration were the highlights of the activity: she happily positioned dots, changed her mind, and pressed them down with tiny fingers. It couldn’t have been simpler to set up.
We found light-colored pumpkins that showed the tissue paper colors nicely—rather than deep orange pumpkins, these had a soft orangey-pink tint that made the dots pop. Those particular pumpkins were part of a special program that donated a portion of proceeds to breast cancer research, which made our purchase feel even better.
Because pumpkin surfaces are naturally bumpy and toddler-applied tissue is delicate, some of the pieces crinkled as they went down. We didn’t mind—the texture added character, and whenever an edge lifted I dabbed a bit more Mod Podge over the top to help everything adhere. Once dry, the glue kept the paper in place nicely.
Clara was absolutely enamored with the activity. She looks focused in the photos because she was concentrating so hard, and that night she asked to do it again. The setup was far less messy than we expected—craft paper on the table saved the cleanup—and since Mod Podge acts much like white school glue it washed off skin and clothes easily.
We made two pumpkins, and Clara kept playing with the leftover tissue dots afterward: sorting them, lining them up, singing to them, even balancing them on her head. It extended the fun long past the main craft.
After she went to bed, Sherry brushed a final coat of Mod Podge over the entire surface to ensure edges were sealed and to add a smooth, glossy finish. The top coat made the pumpkins look neat and helped the tissue feel a bit more durable.
We really liked how simple this was—cheap materials, easy setup, and a satisfying result. Tissue paper is inexpensive and available in many colors, so you can customize palettes for any theme. If you have a sticker-obsessed toddler, this is a low-stress weekend project that still lets them create something festive for fall.
I tried to get a posed photo of Clara with her pumpkins, but she was more interested in moving around—which is fine. We had dressed her in an “it’s okay to get messy” shirt for the craft, and since it survived so well she wore it again the next day. At one point she sang “Rock-A-Bye, Baby” to her creations while swinging on the glider-bench, and then she found a broom and was off to her next adventure.
If you want more easy paper pumpkin ideas, there are printable pumpkin outlines and templates available that work well for children of all ages and skill levels—use them for coloring, collage, or simple cut-and-paste projects.
Psst—Sherry also mentioned she’s trying her hand at DIY elements for Clara and Burger’s costumes this year. We’ll share photos when they’re ready, probably right around Halloween.