The leaves are turning colors and it’s time to get ready for the spookiest day of the year — Halloween! As you scramble for the best costume and decorate your house with witch hats and cobwebs, don’t forget to add a jack o’ lantern or two to make your porch look extra festive.
After you have visited the pumpkin patch and picked which one you want on your front step, download one of the jack o’ lantern templates below! But first, be sure to follow the simple steps below.
- Wash any dirt off the pumpkin.
- Cut a round circle at the top and remove the stem. Make sure to keep it in tact to use later!
- Remove all of the gooey insides and the pumpkin seeds. If you are adventurous, you can clean off the seeds and bake them with sea salt and spice for a protein-packed treat.
- Pick your template, print it out and tape it to the side of the pumpkin you wish to carve.
- Next, get to cutting with a short, sharp knife.
- Place a tea candle inside and admire your handy work!
We rated the difficulty of each template on a scale of one to five. Difficulty levels one through three are good for all ages, especially younger children, while levels four and five are best for children nine and above. If your little ones are not quite up to the task of carving with a knife, check out some of the alternatives below.
- Paint a silly face rather than carving.
- Cover the pumpkin in gauze and turn it into a mummy.
- Glue beads or buttons on it in spooky patterns.
- Use felt, glue and scissors to make cute figures.
- Decorate with yarn.
- Paint it with chalkboard paint and let your little ones color.
If you are looking for even more spooky decor, check out our spook-tacular Halloween ideas! Not feeling very DIY? We have you covered! Browse all of our Halloween gifts for no fuss decoration, doormats and goodie bags!