A carved jack-o-lantern may very well be the most recognized symbol for the Halloween holiday. But using a sharp knife to carve them is not exactly an activity that everyone, especially the children who are so in love with Halloween, can do.

During a field trip to a pumpkin farm, I discovered a Halloween activity that even the youngest members of the family can participate in.

Pumpkin painting is a fun and safe way to celebrate autumn and Halloween. With just a few supplies: paint, brushes, sealer and your imagination, anyone can transform a plain pumpkin into a whimsical, life-like character.

By tracing a pattern onto the pumpkin, young children can “paint by numbers” and create their own Halloween masterpiece.

The best feature of painted pumpkins is their lifespan. A pumpkin, once carved, will last three to five days at the most before it begins to collapse and rot.

A painted pumpkin, when finished properly, will last four weeks or longer!

And a great way to make your pumpkin work double duty is to paint one side for Halloween. When Halloween is over, turn the pumpkin around, paint some autumn leaves and leave it on your porch for a beautiful Thanksgiving decoration!

Author Resource – JoAnne Westcott is the publisher of the full-color, step-by-step instructional e-guide: Pumpkin Painting, Anyone Can Do It. Really!