Are you ready for the pumpkin harvest? Get ready with this ultimate guide on how to pick a pumpkin. Whether you’re a certified jack-o-lantern artist or a pumpkin bread lover, I have tips to help you pick the best pumpkins for all your festive needs!
There’s something about pumpkins that is SO nostalgic. They are so completely seasonal, reminding us of crisp fall days, comforting recipes, and of course, Halloween nights. After all, what’s more autumnal than a pumpkin harvest?
I look forward to picking pumpkins every year for these nostalgic wonders. In dedication to these symbolic gourds, I’ve made you the ultimate guide to preparing for pumpkin harvest.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to pick the perfect pumpkin for any purpose. I’ll also answer any and all of your pumpkin-related questions!
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When Kiddo was a baby, I used to entertain him with pumpkins.
Stages of Pumpkin Growing
Interested in where your jack-o-lantern comes from? These are the stages in growing pumpkins!
From the Seed
It all starts with the seed! Planting depends on your climate, but pumpkins are usually best planted anywhere from mid-May to late July.
Pumpkin seeds will take 3-10 days to germinate. You can transplant germinated seeds, but it’s best to germinate them directly in the outdoor soil! You should notice sprouts growing after germination (within a couple of weeks)!
It’s best to purchase new pumpkin seeds to guarantee the taste and variety as opposed to saving them from grocery store pumpkins.
Developing Leaves
Next, the leaves! Leaves will begin to develop about a week after sprouting. They will continue developing for a few weeks after this.
Under ideal conditions, vines will grow rapidly (as much as 6 inches a day!). Vines will spread out from the base of the plant.
Forming Fruits
Vibrant yellow or orange flowers will appear midway through the growing season, first male flowers, then female flowers.
These flowers will become the fruits (AKA pumpkins) of the plant. Small green fruits will begin to form at the base of the female flowers. These are your baby pumpkins!
Pumpkin Harvest
Pumpkins will take several weeks to reach their full growth. They will usually take 45-55 days to grow to maturity after successful pollination.
Matured pumpkins will be fully orange. Their vines will be brown and starting to wither. It’s time to harvest your pumpkins for eating!
Tips On Growing Perfect Pumpkins
While you can head to the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin, there’s something so satisfying about eating and carving your own homegrown pumpkin. Here are some insider tips on growing the perfect pumpkins.
Early-Season Pollinating
To get the most out of your harvest, you’ll want to invest in some early-season pollinating.You can hand-pollinate by using a paintbrush in four easy steps.
Locate a male flower and peel back the petals.
Collect pollen from the male flower onto your paintbrush.
Transfer this pollen to the female flower, brushing it onto the female’s pistil.
Gently press the female’s flowers together to keep pollen in.
Achieve Fun Twisted Stems
Have you ever seen pumpkins with those amazing twisted stems? You can achieve these storybook pumpkins yourself!
When you’re growing pumpkins in your garden, turn them 1/4″ once a week to get these whimsical, curly stems.
Get HUGE pumpkins
If you want large pumpkins, you need to make some sacrifices! The plant only has so much energy to produce pumpkins, so you’ll need to choose whether you want one huge pumpkin or a bunch of smaller ones.
If you choose several smaller pumpkins, keep them all on the vine. If you want to achieve a huge pumpkin, however, pull off the babies and just leave one or two behind.
You can also get bigger pumpkins depending on the seeds you choose. Choose wisely!
Pumpkins take up LOTS of space in the garden, so be prepared.
When to Harvest Pumpkins
Pumpkins are best harvested when fully matured! You’ll be able to tell they’re ready when they’re fully coloured (a brilliant orange colour) and the skin is hardened.
Try testing your pumpkin skin with your fingernail; it should be tough enough that it isn’t easily punctured. You should also hear a hollow sound if you knock on its side.
If you want to use your pumpkin for decorative purposes, you can definitely harvest it when it’s green. Green pumpkins can be picked in early October. They’ll continue to mature when taken off the vine if they’ve at least begun to develop colour. It will take them about a month to be totally ready in time for Halloween.
Knock on your pumpkin. If you hear a hollow sound, it’s ready to be picked.
How to Pick a Pumpkin
While I like growing pumpkins, kiddo and I have been known to frequent a pumpkin patch or two. I have all the hot tips on picking the perfect pumpkin, whatever you’re using it for!
Picking a Pumpkin for Carving
When searching for the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkin, I try not to get ones that are too big. As fun as it is to have a giant pumpkin, it’s really hard to carve!
Kiddo always goes for the big pumpkins, and I go for the small ones because I know I’ll have to spend time helping him with his.
When at the pumpkin patch, I look for green pumpkins all the way around with little bits of orange if it’s early in the season. I avoid any and all soft spots and brown or yellow spots; these are all hazard signs of future rotting!
When harvesting, whether at the patch or in your own backyard, ensure you cut the stem with a bit of length and a curved top. The hooked-over stem has a classic look and acts as a handle to provide easy access to the jack-o-lantern!
One of my favourite ways to carve a pumpkin is with these fun jack-o-planters!
My jack o’ planters are filled with live plants for a fun, gardening twist on the classic.
Picking a Pumpkin for Home Decor
When looking to use pumpkins for home decor, think small! Mini pumpkins make great choices for home decor because they’re so long-lasting!
If stored in dry, cool conditions, these miniature gourds should last between 6 and 12 months. Keep these babies uncarved to enjoy lasting, festive decor.
Once open and brought inside, pumpkins won’t last longer than 4-7 days.
Picking a Pumpkin for Eating
Pumpkins are one of my favourite seasonal ingredients…they just scream fall time!
When picking the best pumpkin to add to soup, pasta, or a tray-bake, you’ll want to go for a fully matured pumpkin. This means picking a pumpkin that is vibrant orange in colour.
The same rules apply from before, avoid those soft spots because they could be a sign of early rot! The colour should be even with no signs of discolouration or mould.
Frequently Asked Questions About A Pumpkin Harvest
How do I find pumpkin picking near me?
The internet is your friend! Do a quick deep-dive with your favourite search engine. You’re sure to find local farms with pumpkins ready to be picked.
If you’re feeling really pumped on pumpkins, try growing your own. That way, you only have to go as far as your backyard.
Can you leave pumpkins on the vine too long?
While you’ll want to leave your pumpkin on the vine for as long as possible, there is such a thing as leaving them for too long. Pumpkins should be safe to leave on the vine until the first autumn frost. Any longer than that, your pumpkin runs the risk of rotting on the vine.
If you’re nervous about rot, you can always pick your pumpkins before they’re fully matured. As long as they’ve begun to colour, your pumpkins can continue to ripen when off the vine.
What does a green pumpkin mean?
Green pumpkins are a part of the growing process. If your pumpkin is green, it means it’s unripe and still needs to mature (preferably on the vine!).
These pumpkins aren’t suitable for eating yet but can be used for carving and other decorating ideas at this stage.
What do pumpkin plants look like?
You can identify pumpkin plants by their large, lobed leaves and signature vines. During their flowering stage, they have lovely, funnel-shaped flowers with globe-shaped bases. Their colours range from orange to yellow!
How long will my picked pumpkin last?
It depends! Whole pumpkins can last for 2-3 months when properly stored (in a cool dry place).
A carved pumpkin will decay a lot quicker, usually lasting about a week or two when kept outside.
One of fall’s greatest pleasures, enjoy the season with your newly picked pumpkin! Leave any more questions in the comments down below.
Pumpkin Projects to Try
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
There’s no reason to delay getting in the spirit of Halloween as popular costume retailers begin to release this year’s slate of pop culture-inspired looks. From Spirit Halloween to BoxLunch to PetSmart, there are a ton of fandom fits across stores and online for the while family.
There are also options of the more creepy and altogether ooky variety from another Netflix hit, Wednesday, with new costume looks inspired by season two of the show. Alas, there are no KPop Demon Hunters costumes yet but if you get crafty, you can DIY an outfit repping Huntr/x or the Saja Boys with band shirts available at BoxLunch—there’s more Nevermore fun there too.
Spirit Halloween also has a Jurassic Park collection that steps away from the recent franchise and focuses on the characters from the original film. So there are great Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and even Dennis Nedry options, but glaringly no Ian Malcolm. The dinosaur choices range from inflatables to cute baby velociraptors.
For a retro family ensemble, Sesame Street has an extensive monster costume collection at Spirit as well as Bums and Roses. The latter offers cozy, wearable, character-inspired outfits that allow for dressing comfortably without resorting to full fuzzy onesies, featuring sweaters and simple short-sleeve casual cosplay options.
As popular Disney Parks Halloween events begin, families can easily embrace the Disney bounding trend with Disney and Pixar outfits available at Posh Peanut. From comfy Mike or Sully Monsters Inc. hoodies to bamboo character outfits inspired by Alice in Wonderland to witchy velvet Hocus Pocusdresses, there are dynamic ways to play dress-up no matter how old you are.
There’s plenty for Disney fans out there, including a wild baby Edward Scissorhands costume and online retailer PatPat’s spooky Disney drops, which include Hundred Acre Wood friend-inspired playful dresses, cool weather Disney Princess looks, and matching Disney Halloween family sweaters.
And let’s not forget the pets! PetSmart has doggie fits to get them in on the group costume action with looks inspired by Pixar and for superhero fans, Superman’s best bud, Krypto.
A chill is in the air, costumes are filling the stores, and Halloween is right around the corner. That means spooky season is upon us! Celebrate the season with these fun and creative Halloween activities and games. You’ll find party games perfect for a class Halloween celebration as well as more educational finds like writing prompts and STEM and math challenges. There are enough Halloween activities on this list to do something different every day in October and then some!
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Quick and Easy Halloween Activities
Try these activities as part of morning meetings or bell ringers, or to fill in when you have a few extra minutes at the end of a class or day. They’re all simple to pull off, with minimal (or no) prep needed!
Tell Halloween jokes
What’s a witch’s favorite subject in school? Spelling, of course! Share some belly laughs with our favorite Halloween jokes for kids.
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Share Halloween quotes
Post a new quote daily to greet students (we’ve got 101 of them to choose from, with images that are all ready to display). Or ask students to choose their favorite quote and create an illustrated poster you can display in the classroom or hallway.
Snag our free printable word searches, with options for easy, medium, and hard. They’re perfect for early finishers and extra credit!
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Pose Halloween trivia questions
Whether you set up a class competition or just use these trivia questions as bell ringers or morning meeting openers, they’re sure to challenge students of all ages.
Solving coded messages is fun, but it also teaches valuable skills like pattern-matching and logic. Grab our free worksheet to try it with your students.
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Watch a Halloween video
Check out our roundup of terrific educational Halloween videos. Get some math practice, learn about Halloween around the world, or try some spooky yoga. You’ll find options for every subject and grade level.
This crossword is just right for elementary students. Pair up younger kids to make it a little easier, or assign this as a fun seasonal homework or enrichment activity.
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Solve a Halloween word scramble
We scrambled 20 themed words for kids to unscramble. The worksheet is designed at an elementary school level, but it makes a fun timed challenge for middle or high school students too!
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Color Halloween coloring pages
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Let’s face it, Halloween is a tough day to teach, especially by the afternoon. It’s totally OK to give yourself a break and pass out these coloring pages to end the day!
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Halloween Books, Poems, and Read-Alouds
Use the seasonal picks in these roundups for story time, reading comprehension practice, book talks, reading groups, and more!
Best Halloween books for kids and teens
This collection includes all the classics (Room on the Broom or Bunnicula, anyone?) as well as new reads to discover. Our list includes picture books, chapter books, and even middle grade and young adult options.
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Popular pumpkin books for kids
With both fiction and nonfiction options, this list gives you lots of choices for learning about Halloween’s unofficial mascot!
Whether you prefer the classics like Poe (“Once upon a midnight dreary …”) or are looking for cute new options to share with little ones, you’ll find the perfect poetry picks on our list for all grades.
Halloween isn’t just about ghosts and witches—it’s also time for monsters to shine! From silly to scary, this roundup is full of Halloween-ready tales to share with kids.
Pumpkins are round … right? Well, not always! The Spookley books are really popular with kids, and there are so many fun (and educational) ways to use them in the classroom. Check out our roundup and activity ideas to learn more.
When you don’t have time for a whole book, short stories are the way to go. In short fiction, writers have to make good use of every word to capture the mood and draw readers into the tale. That makes this format perfect for horror and suspense tales, like the ones in our roundup.
Looking for some ways to bring the spooky season to your ELA classroom? We’ve got you covered! These activities help kids learn and polish their reading and writing skills.
Hang a Halloween word wall
Add a new word to your wall every day, or spend the whole month using spelling and vocab words from our huge list (225+) of Halloween words.
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Give fairy tales a Halloween twist
How would the story have changed if Little Red Riding Hood were a werewolf, or it turned out that Cinderella’s Prince Charming was a vampire? Challenge your students to think outside the box and give new (spooky) life to old fairy tales.
Hold a Monster Adopt-athon
This is part art project, part writing practice, and totally fun! First, kids draw a picture of their very own monster, any way they like. Then, they write up a description of the monster, including its favorite things, where it was born, and the proper care and feeding to keep it healthy. Finally, kids present their monsters to the class, and other students choose the ones they’d like to “adopt”!
Hop on pumpkin letters
Use our free pumpkin templates to create a Pumpkin Hop course. Simply write a letter on each and tape them to the floor. You can add obstacles in between if you like, or simply have kids jump from letter to letter saying the name and sound it makes as they go. We love this for active learners!
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Free Pumpkin Templates
Create a Pumpkin Hop with our templates! Kids can jump from letter to letter, calling out names and sounds.
Who would win in a fight: a vampire or a werewolf? Are kids ever too old to go trick-or-treating? What’s the best design for a jack-o’-lantern? Divide kids into teams and let them prepare their arguments using our free printable organizers. Then, hold a face-to-face debate or fishbowl discussion and let them (civilly) argue it out!
A ghostwriter helps someone else put their story into words (though they don’t usually receive any credit as an author). Pair students up, then challenge one to come up with the detailed plot for a spooky story, while the other “ghost writes” the story itself, adding description and dialogue as needed. This is the perfect writing activity to use with our free ghost templates!
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Compose a Halloween poem
If your students groan when you ask them to write a poem, you need our poem-writing worksheet bundle! This free collection will walk students through writing seasonal poems like limericks, odes, haiku, couplets, blackout poetry, and more.
This quick and easy free printable activity is great for helping kids learn how to alphabetize. You can also use this list for spelling or vocab words.
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Inspire with Halloween writing prompts
What is your favorite Halloween costume and why? Would you spend a night in a graveyard for $100? Why or why not? We have 18 more Halloween writing prompt ideas plus free printable writing paper for students to use!
One of the best ways to work on writing clearly and concisely is by asking kids to create a set of instructions on how to do something correctly. Let them choose from seasonal topics like “How To Carve a Pumpkin,” “How To Trick-or-Treat,” or “How To Create a Haunted House.” Bonus tip: Choose one or two essays to read aloud in class, trying out the directions to see how well they work!
Assemble a Halloween acrostic
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In an acrostic, the first letter of each line spells out a word or message. These are a lot of fun for kids to create, and we’ve made the process easier with our free printable worksheets!
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Cook up cauldron sentences
You’ll need a large plastic cauldron for this activity (and if you like, a big mixing spoon and a witch’s hat!). Ask each student to write a Halloween-themed word or phrase on a piece of paper and toss it into your cauldron. Mix up all the “ingredients,” then draw them out one at a time and ask kids to use each one in a sentence. For more of a challenge, try to incorporate each sentence into a larger story.
Complete a Halloween vocab worksheet
Here’s another simple, no-fuss Halloween printable activity you can use anytime you need it. The vocab words are ideal for the elementary crowd.
Writing messages in code takes some patience and creativity, but it’s so much fun to receive and decode them. Use our free printables to help kids practice writing and cracking codes, then have them send messages to each other through a classroom post office box decorated with ghosts!
Picture prompts give writers a lot to work with: They can help set a plot in motion, create an atmosphere or mood, and inspire writers to include more details in their work. Take a look at our big collection of picture writing prompts to find some for the spooky season, or browse the web to find the perfect picks for your class.
Write a persuasive essay about the best Halloween candy
Kids have a LOT of opinions when it comes to this topic, and it makes a fun, low-stakes topic for learning how to write a persuasive essay. You can also have them make the case for their favorite scary movie or the best Halloween costume. Plus, we’ve got graphic organizers to help them get started!
Give your science and math lessons a bit of seasonal flair with these fun Halloween learning ideas.
Work on Halloween-themed math word problems
There are so many spooky situations that could easily be turned into math word problems. Our collection includes free slides you can share with your students. Try using them as problems of the day all throughout October.
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Sort flash cards into pumpkins
Pick up some plastic pumpkin buckets and label them with flash card answers. Then, see how quickly students can sort flash cards into the right ones!
Use candy corn for Halloween math activities
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Pick up a few bags of candy corn and grab our free printables, then engage your students in meaningful Halloween math activities, from matching to multiplication.
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Solve spider equations
Cut one large and one small circle from black construction paper to form a spider’s body and head. (Don’t forget the googly eyes for fun!). Then, cut and attach eight strips for legs. Use white crayons or chalk markers to write a target number in the middle of each spider. Finally, have kids brainstorm various equations that equal the target, and write them on the legs. For instance, if the target number is 8, kids could write 5 + 3, 4 x 2, 32 ÷ 4, etc. This is a fun way to work on fact families too.
Color Halloween math mystery pictures
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Solve the equations and color the pictures. We love this free printable worksheet as an enrichment activity or Halloween week homework assignment.
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Brew up some math potions
For this fun Halloween early math activity, you’ll need a plastic cauldron and “ingredients” like colorful pom-poms, plastic spiders, googly eyes, etc. Make up a set of “potion” cards with recipes like “3 spiders, 2 red pom-poms, 5 green pom-poms, and 5 eyes.” Little ones drop the correct ingredients into the cauldron and give it all a stir. This is such a fun way to practice counting!
Color in a Halloween coordinate grid picture
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Teach coordinate grids for math or geography. Use the given coordinates to color in the squares and reveal a Halloween picture. Kids can also create their own pictures and give coordinates to their classmates.
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Take a candy survey and graph the results
Survey your class to determine what their favorite trick-or-treat candies are. Then, use the results to make graphs: bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, etc. This makes a fun homework assignment too: Ask kids to survey 20 people and create their own graph.
Tackle a Halloween STEM challenge or two
Our collection of free printable cards is perfect for grades 2 to 5, though older kids will enjoy them too. Challenges include options like “Build a spiderweb out of pipe cleaners,” “Make a brain with play dough,” and “Build a bone bridge with Q-tips.”
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Make ghosts “dance” with static electricity
This simple little demo is so much fun! Cut small ghosts from white tissue paper, and blow up an orange or black balloon. Show kids how to rub the balloon on the right type of surface to create static electricity, then hold it over the ghosts to draw them up and make them dance.
Explode a pumpkin volcano
Carve a jack-o’-lantern, then use baking soda and vinegar to make it overflow with “lava.” Kids never get tired of this one! Get all the directions you need in our video.
Put a Halloween spin on this traditional STEM project. Give kids wood craft sticks, rubber bands, plastic bottle caps, and some glue. Then, challenge them to build a catapult that will launch candy pumpkins into a target.
Mix up some Halloween slime
Kids LOVE slime. Fortunately, it makes a really fun science experiment, and you can give it a Halloween twist with food coloring and mix-ins like googly eyes or pumpkin mini-erasers. Get four different slime recipes plus worksheets for the classroom at the link.
Ask kids to do some research about bats, and make a list of their favorite facts. Then, cut out bats from black construction paper and use white crayons or chalk markers to write in the facts. Turn one of your bulletin boards into a cave with some gray paper, and hang your bats for a truly fun and educational Halloween display!
Explore the pumpkin life cycle
Pumpkins take a long time to grow, and it’s not really practical to try this in a classroom (unless you’ve got a school garden, of course). Instead, watch our free video on the pumpkin life cycle to help kids learn more about it. And if you’ve got a strong stomach, you can try leaving a carved pumpkin out in the elements to watch it decompose!
Use the same principles and method from our dancing popcorn video to see gummi worms twitch and writhe instead! Mix baking soda with water and drop in some candy worms. Then, slowly pour in vinegar and watch as the carbon dioxide bubbles make the candy rise and fall. Creepy and cool!
Here’s one more baking soda and vinegar experiment you can easily turn into a Halloween science activity. Follow the instructions in the video. Use orange balloons, and before you attach them to the bottle, use a black permanent marker to draw a jack-o’-lantern face on them. It’s so exciting to watch the pumpkin balloons expand like magic (except it’s science, which is even better)!
These games make terrific choices for a class Halloween party, and they’re fun to play at home too!
Halloween Bingo
Everybody knows it, everybody loves it! Use our free printable Halloween bingo boards for a class-wide game. Each kid gets to cut out the cards and place them anywhere they like on their card, so no two boards will be the same!
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Ghost and pumpkin bowling
Collect 10 empty plastic bottles and paint them white, then add ghostly faces. Line them up as pins. Use an orange ball (you can use a black permanent marker to add a jack-o’-lantern face if you like) to knock them down!
Freeze Dance, Halloween style
Start the music and dance, dance, dance! When the music stops, freeze in place. Anyone still moving is out for that round. Play until just one dancer is left standing. Our spooky Halloween playlist has all the tunes you’ll need!
Give this challenge a seasonal spin by adding ghosts faces to white paper cups. Give each player 10 cups in a stack, and ask them to stack them into a pyramid and then back down into a stack as fast as they can. If the pyramid falls over, they have to start again. This one is always a crowd favorite!
Pin the spider on the web
Draw a spiderweb on your whiteboard, and give each student a paper spider with tape or a magnet on the back. One at a time, blindfold the players, start them about 10 feet from the board, and spin them around three times. Their goal is to make their way to the board and get the spider as close to the middle of the spiderweb as possible.
Witch hat ring toss
Grab some small plastic cones from the dollar store. Paint them black and add some silver or gold buckles with a paint pen, so they look like witch’s hats. Line them up and see if kids can toss rings around them to win a prize.
Halloween Make-a-Word
This one is fun and simple: How many words can you make using the letters in HALLOWEEN? Grab our free printable to make this game even easier.
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Wrap the Mummy race
Break kids into pairs, and give each pair a roll of toilet paper. At the word “Go,” one player wraps the other in toilet paper as fast as they can, turning the player into a “mummy.” When they’re fully wrapped, the mummy races for the finish line.
Ghost and pumpkin hunt
Print and cut out ghosts and pumpkins from our free printables, then hide them around the room. Divide players into two teams, Ghosts and Pumpkins. Each team works together to try to find all of their ghosts or pumpkins first.
It’s a snap to give these classic games a Halloween twist when you use our free printable Halloween word lists! Whether kids want to act it out or draw it, we’ve got hundreds of words you can use for these games.
Make or buy orange beanbags, and draw jack-o’-lantern faces on them with permanent marker or a paint pen. Line up some buckets (pumpkin trick-or-treat containers or plastic witch’s cauldrons make this extra fun), then give each player a chance to toss as many as they can into the targets. Tip: Add different point totals to the buckets to give the game a bit of a strategic element.
Pro-tip: Use our free templates to make the most impressive pumpkin carvings for your classroom. If you’d like to carve pumpkins with students as a class activity, consider using artificial mess-free craft pumpkins for a keepsake kids can display for years to come.
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Draw a pumpkin
Use our free video to teach students how to draw a pumpkin. Once kids have this skill down, they can include pumpkins in all their Halloween art projects! Try having students draw their own pumpkin patches, adding their own creative flair.
Draw a monster, but let the dice make the hard decisions! Roll a single die or pair of dice to determine how many of each of these body parts to include: head, arm, leg, eye, ear, mouth, nose, finger, and toe. This is a clever way to sneak some counting practice into art time.
Beaded pipe cleaner pumpkins
You’ll need orange and green pipe cleaners and pony beads for this Halloween craft. Take four orange pipe cleaners and twist them together in the middle, then fan them out so you have eight “spokes” of a wheel. String orange beads onto each spoke, then curve them up to meet in the middle, forming a pumpkin shape. Twist the ends to hold them in place, then add a green pipe cleaner with beads for a stem, and some green curlicues if you like.
Jack-o’-lantern lacing plates
This cute craft also provides excellent fine motor skills practice. Use a hole punch to punch even-spaced holes around the edges of orange plastic disposable plates. Cut out jack-o’-lantern faces from black construction paper and glue them in the middle. Give kids orange yarn and show them how to lace the yarn in and out of the holes.
Halloween painted rocks
You’ll need river rocks, craft paint, and brushes (or paint markers) for this creative Halloween activity. Decorate rocks to look like ghosts or jack-o’-lanterns, or paint them with spooky messages and pictures of witches, monsters, vampires, and more.
Drinking-straw skeletons
Cut white paper drinking straws into smaller pieces for “bones.” Give each student a handful, along with some black construction paper and glue. Ask them to create a skeleton in any pose they like, gluing it in place. For a fun expansion on this project, skip the construction paper and glue and use pipe cleaners instead. Kids string the “bones” onto the pipe cleaners, putting them together to form poseable skeletons.
Cotton ball ghosts
Try this cute activity with younger classes. Print and cut out our free ghost templates using white card stock. Spread the ghosts with a thin layer of glue, then have kids glue cotton balls in place to fill in the shape. When they’re finished, attach ghost faces made of construction paper.
Lite Brite pumpkins
Raid an old Lite Brite set for the colorful plastic pegs. Use a skewer to poke holes in a hollowed-out pumpkin (for a mess-free option, use craft pumpkins instead), and drop a battery-operated light inside. Push the pegs into the holes to create all sorts of spooky designs.
Yarn tassel ghosts
These ghosts are so easy to make! Cut a piece of cardboard about 5 inches wide, and wrap white yarn around it at least 20 times. Use a small piece of yarn to tie the top loops of yarn together, then slide the yarn off the cardboard. Tie a second small piece of yarn about an inch below the top to form the head. Finally, cut the yarn loops apart at the bottom and trim them if needed. Glue on small black beads for eyes and mouth, then hang your spooky creations!
More Halloween Activities for the Classroom
Rock your own Halloween costume
Courtesy of Gabriella S.
Need some creative ideas for Halloween costumes? Check out our roundups for inspiration from real We Are Teachers readers!
Watch Halloween movies
These kid-friendly picks are the perfect way to finish out Halloween in your classroom. Everything here is a no more than a little bit spooky or scary, but you’ll definitely want to watch in advance to make sure your choice is appropriate for your audience.
Set up an artificial “campfire” in your classroom using orange and yellow streamers attached to a box fan lying flat on the floor. Turn out the lights and give everyone flashlights instead, then gather around the “fire” and tell scary stories. Check out our free collection to get things started!
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Dig into Halloween sensory bins
Assemble sensory bins full of the sights, sounds, scents, and textures of Halloween. Include some of these: popcorn or rice dyed orange and black; black beans; slime; cooked spaghetti noodles; water dyed orange and black; cinnamon sticks; candy corn; candy pumpkins; letter beads or magnets spelling “Halloween;” mini-erasers of ghosts, pumpkins, etc.; plastic spider rings; large googly eyes; plastic skeletons; mini pumpkins or cauldrons for scooping; or Halloween-themed confetti.
Create a Halloween escape room
This one takes some dedication, but your students will absolutely love it! Our free printables will walk you through the process step-by-step. If you’re not up for crafting your own puzzles, buy a ready-made escape room game (there are plenty of them available), then add your own decorations to customize it for your class.
Halloween is a mere month away, and with it comes the customary joy that embodies dressing up, candy indulgence, and the excuse for adults to get together and drink. During this season, the last thing on your mind is probably yucky illnesses that can dampen the autumnal spirit. Yet one woman on TikTok has made it synonymous with the spooky season.
In a viral clip, TikToker Alex (@princess_al3x), at the risk of being a “buzzkill,” issues a PSA to Halloween enthusiasts everywhere: you might want to think twice about trying on costumes at Spirit Halloween.
The act is a rite of passage for any American who wants to make the most of the holiday. Still, there’s a reason you should forgo the tradition of donning that scream mask or pirate hat at the store.
“Not to be a buzzkill, but just a reminder for people that like to come in and try on all the hats and masks at Spirit [Halloween],” she begins, “Pink eye and lice do exist.”
Alex provided proof in the caption, writing, “I have def gotten pink eye.”
Her PSA sent chills throughout her comments section, with viewers affirming her warning.
“And they do NOT sanitize those masks,” one user wrote. “I know. I worked there.” Another said their friend got pink eye just from trying on sunglasses.
One user wondered whether the warning had any validity. “I mean, i tried them on growing up.. what’s the difference now??” they asked. “A little germs to build up their immune system is about it. its not that serious.”
Is it?
Can trying on Halloween costumes give you pink eye, lice?
Turns out, Alex isn’t technically wrong. One Healthline article stated that pink eye bacteria can live on fabric for up to two days. However, some others can stay on surfaces for as long as 8 weeks. And since bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye) is highly contagious, it doesn’t have to be transmitted via direct contact. So if one user with pink eye tries on a mask or costume, it’s possible the bacteria can be transmitted.
As for lice, October is the month when doctors see an increase in their spread, according to experts. A HuffPost article reported, “During Halloween season, dozens of people try on wigs and hats all day long. Lice may only survive for 24-48 hours off a host, but these costumes are being turned over all day. This provides far more opportunities than normal for lice to spread.”
Washing your hands often with soap and water, and help young children do the same.
Washing hands especially well after touching someone with pink eye or their personal items.
Avoid touching or rubbing your eyes
Avoid sharing personal items, such as makeup, eye drops, towels, bedding, contact lenses and containers,
To prevent lice, online resource My Hair Helpers shared the following:
Wear a bathing cap when trying on costumes.
Put the costume in a sealed bag. When you purchase a costume, particularly a used one, place it in a sealed bag for 48 hours before wearing it. This will kill off any lice that may still be alive.
Gisselle Hernandez-Gomez is a contributing reporter to the Mary Sue. Her work has appeared in the Daily Dot, Business Insider, Fodor’s Travel and more. You can follow her on X at @GisselleHern. You can email her at [email protected].
Starbucks’ fall Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL, returns on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
The Seattle coffee chain officially unveiled its new fall menu on Monday, which includes its Pumpkin Spice Latte and other autumn-inspired treats.
The arrival date for Starbucks’ fall menu has inched earlier over the years, now landing in August instead of mid-September, closer to the actual start of autumn. At the center of the coffee giant’s fall offerings is its Pumpkin Spice Latte, which came onto the scene over 20 years ago. According to a company spokesperson, the PSL, which consists of espresso, steamed milk cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin, whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice, is the most popular seasonal beverage of all time. Starbucks has sold hundreds of millions of the autumnal concoction since the beverage was introduced in 2003.
“Obviously, I’m excited for the fall program,” Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said during the coffee chain’s July 29 earnings call. “I, like many customers, love the Pumpkin Spice Latte.”
The coffee giant is also banking on sales from newcomers like Pecan Cold Foam, after launching a similar menu item last year. Cold Foam has become one of Starbucks’ most popular add-ons with a 23% year-over-year growth, according to a company spokesperson. In June, the company announced it was piloting a new banana-flavored protein variety.
The fall menu, which includes a blend of old and new items, is likely to provide a boost to the coffee chain which has been suffering from weakening sales and in-store traffic. Starbucks sales in the U.S. declined 2% in the third quarter ended June 29, compared with the same period last year, according to the company’s July earnings report.
Speaking to analysts last month, Niccol said, “There’s going to be a lot of customers that come into our business” for the Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. Before joining the business and finance vertical, she worked at “60 Minutes,” CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program.
If you thought it was a Tomato Girl Summer, or a Euro Summer, or even a Dua Lipa Summer, I’m afraid you’re wrong. This summer belongs to the Etsy witch.
While witches for hire have been selling their wares (mysterious tinctures, incantations, the odd curse or crystal) for a few years on Etsy, since May, there’s been a huge uptick in orders for one thing in particular: the promise of a perfect wedding day. Around the world, anxious brides-to-be are sliding into the DMs of ‘casters’ and ordering personalised spells, in the hopes that a power beyond our realm will help their weddings go off without a hitch. It’s a day people tend to spend masses of time and money on – what’s an extra £6.99 for peace of mind?
It all started with influencer Jaz Smith, who live-posted her wedding day on TikTok at the end of May. One post drew more than a million views: a playful admission that she’d “paid an Etsy witch for good weather”, and it worked. The comments flooded with “drop the link girl, I’m getting married soon!” until she shared the shopfront of NaturalisticBlessing – a UK-based witch and tarot reader who soon had so many orders she was forced to pause trading.
Etsy technically banned the sale of ‘spiritual and metaphysical services’ back in 2015, but many in the world of tarot, Wicca and alternative therapies teamed up to oppose it. Today, with hundreds of witchcraft practitioners selling ‘perfect weather spells’ and ‘rituals for calm, love and harmony on your special day on the platform’, the hype around pre-marital magic has only built: Google searches for “Etsy witches” have risen 80% since the end of June.
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Brontë King, a content creator and founder from London who got married in Croatia last month, said she stumbled onto WitchTok on the same day she found out her wedding was due to collide with the worst storm the country had seen all year. “It was a complete nightmare; we were asking all our family and friends to fly out for this beautiful summer wedding, and now a freak storm was threatening to ruin the whole day,” she says. “Everything had been planned to take place outdoors, from the sit-down dinner to the aisle itself, which was set up on a jetty going out into the water.”
She heard people were paying witches online and decided it was a sign. “I’d been using Etsy for so many wedding bits – personalised favours and things like that – so it didn’t feel that different to find a seller who offered ‘good weather spells’ and add one to basket,” she says. “It was the first time I’d ever done something like that; I’m not big into spiritual stuff, but I have always believed in manifesting and the idea that what you put out into the universe will come back to you. I just thought, why not? I’ll try anything at this point.”
What better way to get your students interested in reading than to dress as their favorite book character? Whether it’s for Halloween or you need ideas for a Book Character Spirit Day, we’ve got you covered with these fantastic book character costume ideas for individuals and groups!
Jump to:
Individual Book Character Costume Ideas for Teachers
Courtesy of Amy B., PreK-6 Librarian
1. Mo Willems’ Pigeon
Dressing like this beloved mischievous bird is easy with a clever knit cap. Attach the sign to a yardstick and stick it in your back pocket, and you’ll have a “caption” all day long!
We love the idea of being the coconut tree from this adored alphabet book! Add letters to a brown tunic and make yourself a headdress from construction paper.
Courtesy of Presley, 2nd Grade Teacher
3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Want to make this costume even funnier? Spend the day constantly eating some of the items from the book!
Add big colorful buttons to a yellow shirt, add some cat ears, and you’ve got a Pete the Cat costume! If you can do the different-colored sneakers, even better.
Those fly eyes made from paper plates are totally cute and easy enough for any teacher to make. You can also make your own wings, or buy a pair to make the costume even easier.
If you really love putting effort into your costumes, take inspiration from this incredible Around the World in 80 Days costume! A giant beach ball balanced in a Hula-Hoop forms the “balloon,” and a pair of steampunk goggles adds an authentic touch.
This adorable penguin onesie costume is practically like wearing jammies to school. Just attach some question mark cutouts to transform it into the beloved book character.
Here’s another movie favorite that actually got his start in a book. Fortunately, you can pick up an easy all-in-one costume for the lovable green guy.
Spread an environmental message with your teacher Halloween costume! “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
This is an amazing costume idea for two teacher besties. They’re friends forever, just like Frog and Toad!
Courtesy of Brittany G., 3rd Grade Teacher
25. Charlotte’s Web
Want something the entire school can get in on? Try the farm animals and other characters from Charlotte’s Web!
Courtesy of Stephanie Gable
26. Laura Numeroff Characters
If you give a teacher a Laura Numeroff book, they’ll turn it into a Halloween costume! Each teacher can pick their own favorite.
Courtesy of Gabriella S.
27. The Magic School Bus
Where would Ms. Frizzle be without the rest of the gang? Extra points if you can convince someone to dress up as the bus itself.
Courtesy of Gabriella S.
28. Junie B. Jones
This childhood favorite has been through dozens of adventures and looks a little different each time. That makes this a fantastic group costume, with each teacher dressing as their own version of Junie.
Courtesy of Brooke B., 4th grade Teacher
29. Winnie-the-Pooh
You can go all out with Pooh-themed costumes, but you don’t need to. These simple T-shirts and headbands get the idea across perfectly and are much more practical.
Pick up some big sheets of poster board and create your own costumes for the characters from the popular picture book series. These kids made their teacher dress up as the Bad Seed!
Courtesy of Hilary Statum
32. Room on the Broom
This book is absolutely perfect for group teacher Halloween costumes. We especially love the teacher dressed as the broom itself!
Courtesy of Stephanie Gable
33. The Avengers
We all know teachers are superheroes, so this group comic book costume seems especially appropriate.
Courtesy of Brooke B., 4th Grade Teacher
Courtesy of Amy, PreK-6 Librarian
35. Seuss Characters
Every kid knows their Dr. Seuss characters, and the huge array of books gives you so many to choose from.
Inside: Campgrounds with Halloween activities in Greenville, SC, Charlotte, NC, WNC and Columbia, SC.
Camping during Halloween can be really fun – trick-or-treating from campsite to campsite, carving pumpkins by the fire, and making those lasting memories with your family. There are several great spots in and near the Upstate, SC that do special events for Halloween, and we’ve got the list right here!
MidKnight Bus Magical Mountain Resorts (1)
A few tips:
We’ve tried to keep the list to campgrounds that are three hours and under driving distance from Greenville, SC, many of these are convenient for families in Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC.
Some of the more popular campgrounds will fill up for Halloween weekends months in advance. Make reservations early.
If your preferred campground is booked, email the owners and get on the waiting list. People cancel their reservations all the time.
While we have stayed at several of these places, we have not stayed at all of them but we tried to do the best research we could. Double check critical information before booking.
Map of Campgrounds
Because we love maps and find them very useful for stories like this, we made one to show you where all of these places are located:
Upstate, SC Campgrounds
Field Trip Glamping | Travelers Rest
Starting on September 21st, which is the Grand Opening Celebration, every weekend in the fall Field Trip Glamping will be doing Fall Family Fun activities on Fridays and Saturdays. This includes live music, outdoor movies on a blow up screen (including The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Coco, the Parent Trap), mini pumpkin painting, Halloween candy s’mores bar, self-guided fall nature scavenger hunt, fall photo backdrops, and, of course, all the regular offerings like the slingshot range, climbing wall, play set, bonfires, and wood fired hot tub and sauna. These Fall Family Fun Weekends at Field Trip will run from September 21st through November 9th, 2025 so they are perfect for Halloween glamping.
Shores of Asbury | Anderson
The Shores of Asbury is hosting two weekends full of Halloween fun such as haunted hayrides, a magic pumpkin patch, best decorated RV and tent site contest, and a disco golf parade. The weekends are October 25th and November 1st. This is a really fun campground – read our review.
Halloween at the Shores of Asbury. Photos courtesy of the campground.
Oconee State Park | Mountain Rest
Head to Oconee State Park for their spook-tacular Halloween evening, which includes costumes, candy, games, hayrides, bounce houses, and trick-or-treating. The festivities happen on October 25th, 2025 from 2-7 pm.
Spacious Skies Campgrounds | Gaffney
This campground hosts Spooktacular Skies and Cosmic Hauntings in October as part of their seasonal fun for all families. They offer cabins, tent sites, and RV sites.
Iron City Campground | Blacksburg
This campground goes all out for Halloween with decorating contests, trick-or-treating, hayrides, and lots of fun.
Pine Ridge Campground | Spartanburg
Pine Ridge offers Halloween-themed weekends for three weekends in October. They have RV sites and vacation rentals available.
Hester’s Bottoms | Mount Carmel
Hester’s Bottoms is one of our very favorite campgrounds right on the SC/GA border with huge, private sites on the water. They hold Halloween celebrations throughout October but book up fast.
Midlands, SC Campgrounds
Ebenezer Park | Rock Hill
This park in York County has a big Halloween weekend on October 25th, 2025 from 6-8 pm.
Lake Greenwood State Park | Greenwood
Lake Greenwood State Park is hosting a themed “Trick-or-Treat in the Campground” event the weekend before Halloween on October 25, 2025, from 5–7 pm. Kids wearing costumes can enjoy candy and activities.
Creepy Campout at Lake Wateree State Park | Winnsboro
Get ready for the spookiest event of the season at Lake Wateree State Park. This campground goes all out for Halloween with an all day event schedule that includes scavenger hunts, decorated campsites, costume contests, hayrides, and trick-or-treating. All the fun happens on Saturday, October 25th, 2025 from 11 am – 8 pm. Join fellow campers for a frightfully fun day of Halloween activities, decorated campsites, and plenty of treats.
Palmetto Shores RV Resort | Summerton
This campground hosts Halloween events, including a golf cart parade, for three weekends: October 17-18, 24-25, and 31-November 1st. They have RV sites and cabins available.
Dreher Island State Park | Prosperity
Dreher Island State Park will host Boo Bash during Halloween time but no date has been announced yet.
Camp Standing Pines | Hartsville
For all weekends in October Camp Standing Pines is having spooky Halloween fun that includes non-scary trick or treating, pumpkin trails, and costume contests.
Western NC Campgrounds
Magical Mountain Resorts | Hayesville
You really cannot get any more fairytale-themed than Magical Mountain Resorts with their Alice in Wonderland cottage, Snow White tiny home, and MidKnight Bus. For Halloween on October 31st, you can expect trick-or-treating, a costume contest and face painting, bracelet making and rock painting. Read our full review on this beautiful and enchanting place!
Emberglow Outdoor Resort | Mill Spring
This beautiful property not far from the Upstate near Tryon, NC has two Halloween weekends in 2025 (October 24-25 and October 31-November 1) where guests will enjoy a spooky hayride, pumpkin carving, and trick or treating. They have lots of fun glamping options.
Emberglow playground
Jellystone Park™ Golden Valley | Bostic
This campground has six weekends of Halloween fun lined up from September 26th through November 2nd, 2026. The Halloween-themed weekends include hayrides, a pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating, and a haunted trail among other activities.
Stonebridge RV Resort | Maggie Valley
This award-winning campground at the gateway to the Smokies in Maggie Valley hosts a Spooktacular Halloween event for two days the weekend before Halloween – October 24th and 25th. They are booked but will post on their Facebook page if a site opens up.
Riverbend RV Park & Campground | Franklin
Near the Great Smoky Mountains and in beautiful Western NC, Riverbend hosts a big Halloween celebration October 31st and November 1st for both kids and adults. It includes hot chocolate, hayrides, a chili cookoff, pie bake contest, trick or treating, and lots of fun.
Cherokee Great Smokies KOA | Cherokee
Enjoy planting pumpkin seeds, trick or treating, and a scary haunted house at the Cherokee Great Smokies KOA in Cherokee, NC on October 24 and 25, 2025. They have RV sites, cabins, and tent sites.
Near Charlotte, NC Campgrounds
Broad River Campground | Mooresboro
The last two weekends in October are Halloween-themed at Broad River Campground, which offers RV sites, glamping domes, tent sites, and cabins.
Byrd’s Branch Campground | Elkin
The campground is going all out for their Halloween spooktacular, which includes cookie decorating, trick-or-treating, a movie night, and costume and decorating contest. The event is November 1, 2025.
Riverwalk RV Park on the Yadkin River | Jonesville
October 25th and November 1st are Camp-O-Ween at Riverwalk RV Park with axe throwing, trick or treating, and site decorating. They offer RV sites.
Midway Campground and RV Resort | Statesville
This campground actually hosts the Midway Wicked Woods trail and attraction. You get a discount if you stay at the campground.
Cross Country Campgrounds | Denver
Right outside of Charlotte, Cross Country Campgrounds hosts big Halloween weekend celebrations that book up fast. They have about 400 sites.
Norwood Campground | Norwood
Norwood hosts two Halloween weekend celebrations – October 17-19 and 24-26, 2025. They have RV and tent sites.
Ebenezer Park | Rock Hill (SC)
This park in York County has a big Halloween weekend on October 25th, 2025 from 6-8 pm.
A new Unreal Engine 5-powered horror game based on 1978’s Halloween from director John Carpenter is in the works and will launch next year. It’s titled Halloween: The Game, and will feature iconic slasher Michael Myers killing people on the night he returns home.
Announced on August 20, Halloween: The Game, which isn’t the most creative name, will be heavily inspired by the original movie and will feature a “one-versus-many stealth horror experience.” The game will let players put on Michael’s mask and stab their friends online in multiplayer or run away from the killer as a civilian of Haddonefield. IllFonic, the team developing Halloween: The Game, is a studio that has become well-known for its focus on asymmetrical online games like Predator: Hunting Grounds and the now-defunct Friday the 13th game.
Here’s the official trailer for Halloween: The Game:
In a press release for the newly announced horror game, it was confirmed that Halloween will include a story mode and the ability to play against bots, too. As someone who has been disappointed by so many horror movie franchisesgetting video game adaptations that are purely online-only, this is good news. And I imagine many other players will agree. Halloween: The Game will also feature “multiple maps” and a soundtrack “inspired by” that of the original Halloween movie. Interestingly, the original film’s director, John Carpenter, is credited as an executive producer on the upcoming game.
“Working with Compass International Pictures and Further Front has been a dream,” said Charles Brungardt, CEO of IllFonic. “As rights holders of the film and producers on the game, they’ve shared incredible insights to help us stay true to the soul of the 1978 film. Their tremendous passion for Michael Myers has pushed us to craft something that fans of the franchise will truly appreciate.”
Halloween: The Game is set to launch on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC in 2026. Kotaku has reached out to Illfonic to see if this project is the same one teased back in 2024.
Looking for the best places in Nottinghamshire to pick your own pumpkins? You’re in the right place – we’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up the best pumpkin picking patches in Nottinghamshire in this guide.
The best pumpkin picking patches in Nottinghamshire
Nothing beats the simple joy of visiting a pumpkin picking patch, picking your own pumpkin, and soaking up that autumn vibe. Whether you’re after the perfect carving gourd or just a fun family day out, this guide on Nottingham pick your own pumpkins has got you covered.
Pumpkin picking tips
Here are a few bits of sage advice before you head off pumpkin picking:
Pre-book where you can – some pumpkin picking patches get busy, so booking ahead saves worry.
Dress for the weather – it might be crisp, chilly, muddy, or wet. Layers are a good idea!
Wear sensible shoes and be prepared to get a bit dirty – fields aren’t exactly pristine.
Check if you need to bring something to carry your pumpkins in – not all venues provide wheelbarrows, so a strong bag or bucket is a good shout.
Bring some money – many patches have food trucks, cafés, or even fun kids’ rides on-site. Some pumpkin picking patches might be cash-only too.
How to choose a good pumpkin
Not sure how to spot a good pumpkin? Here’s how to choose the perfect specimen:
Go for a pumpkin that:
Feels firm, with a strong dry stem
Has a flat base – this will help it stand upright (handy for display or carving)
Sounds hollow when you tap it – but if it sounds too hollow, it might be overripe and not keep well
Is free from damage or rot, and has a solid stem
Fits the size you need – small for lanterns or big for dramatic displays
Matches the shape for your plans – odd shapes are fab for turning into spooky creatures like ghosts
Nottinghamshire Pick Your Own Pumpkins 2025: where to go
Ready for your Nottinghamshire pumpkin picking 2025 adventure? Here’s a cracking list of patches to check out.
This article will be updated regularly as more pumpkin patches confirm their dates and times, so keep checking back!
Nottinghamshire ‘Pick Your Own’ Pumpkins – Oxton, Southwell
This is a Nottingham pick your own pumpkins favourite. There are thousands of squashes and pumpkins to explore, plus pop-ups by Little Schnauzer Coffee Company and Rocket Dogs for food treats.
It’s family-run and a 20-minute drive from the centre of Nottingham. There’s free parking, portaloos, and cash and card are accepted.
Address: Oaks Lane, Oxton, Southwell, NG25 0RH GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: 19th – 31st October 2025 Prices: Free entry, pay for what you pick
Pick Up A Pumpkin at Maxey’s Farm Shop – Kirklington
If you’re after a fun-filled Nottinghamshire pumpkin picking day out, Pick Up A Pumpkin at Maxey’s Farm Shop in Kirklington is a must.
As well as heaps of pumpkins and gourds in all shapes, colours and sizes, there’s loads to keep the kids happy. There’s a spooky woodland walk, pumpkin carriage rides, pumpkin-themed bouncy castles, and even a straw tractor to clamber on. You’ll also find BBQ food, ice cream, and a farm shop. Parking is free, cash and card is accepted, and there are portaloos on-site.
Address: Hockerton Road, Kirklington, Nottinghamshire, NG22 8PB GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: 5th – 31st October, 9 am–5 pm (times vary so check the website). No booking needed. Prices: £2 entry per person (under-16s free).
Oscar’s Pumpkin Patch – Elms Farm, Costock
Fancy an autumn outing that combines Nottinghamshire pumpkin picking with a proper family adventure? Oscar’s Pumpkin Patch at Elms Farm in Costock is a brilliant choice.
This pumpkin picking patch boasts a whopping 12,000 pumpkins across about 20 varieties, so whether you’re after classic orange pumpkins or something a bit more unusual, you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s a kids’ play area where little ones can let off steam too. Parking is free and cash and card is accepted.
Goachers Fruit PYO Pumpkins – North Wheatley, Retford
A lovely rural patch where, in addition to pumpkins, you can pick seasonal fruit too. Simple, family-friendly and seasonal. There’s free parking, picnic and toilet facilities, and cash and card are accepted.
Address: Wood Lane, North Wheatley, Retford, Nottinghamshire, DN22 9BG GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: coming soon Prices: coming soon
Mr Pumpkin – Morley, near Derby
Although slightly outside Nottinghamshire, this spot is worth considering if you’re nearby. They’ve grown over 90,000 pumpkins with 50+ varieties, including giant ones and a fun pumpkin trail for the kids. You’ll also find food and drink stalls, plus a mini fairground.
Address: Lime Farm, Mansfield Road, Morley DE7 6JU GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: 4th – 31st October 2025 Prices: £2.50 16+ 3-15 yrs free at non-peak times, £1 during peak times, under 3’s free
Doddington Hall Pumpkin Patch
This one’s technically in Lincolnshire, but we’re including it because of its variety and the whole garden experience. There are 30 pumpkin varieties to choose from, plus a spooky walk and the option to pay for entry to the gardens. You’ll also find a farm shop and café.
Address: Main Street, Doddington, Lincoln LN6 4RU GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: Wednesday 1st – Friday 31st October 2025 10am-4pm Prices: Free entry, pay for what you pick
Matlock Farm Park
Fancy a family outing that’s bursting with Nottinghamshire pick your own pumpkins fun plus plenty of Halloween magic? Then Matlock Farm Park’s Halloween Festival just outside Nottinghamshire could be the one for you.
You can grab a wheelbarrow to explore the pumpkin patch, then carve it right there or take it home. There’s also a spooky interactive woodland trail, craft workshops, and everything you usually find at Matlock Farm Park.
Address: Jaggers Lane, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5LH GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS Dates: coming soon Prices: Standard park entry applies (check the website for the latest 2025 cost)
Watch this space for more updates on Nottinghamshire pumpkin picking patches
This article will be updated regularly as more pumpkin patches confirm their dates and times, so keep checking back!
So there you have it: your go-to roundup of where to pick your own pumpkins Nottinghamshire 2025. Remember your sensible shoes, a way to carry those gourds, layers, and some cash for treats. Have fun, and let us know about your adventures in the comments!
More pumpkin fun
We’ve got lots of pumpkin and Halloween themed resources for you to have fun with:
Pin for later: Best Nottinghamshire ‘Pick Your Own’ Pumpkins 2025
— Additional reporting by Haley Lyndes, Lindsay Kimble, Lauren Harano, and Balim Tezel
Hilary White was an editor at PS focused on lifestyle content.
Haley Lyndes is a shopping writer and editor with more than seven years of experience in the publishing space. Specializing in home and lifestyle, she covers everything from furniture and mattresses to beauty products and fitness gear. Her writing has appeared in BuzzFeed, Travel + Leisure, and Real Simple.
Lindsay Kimble was the entertainment director for PS, overseeing coverage of everything celebrity, movies, TV, and music. She’s an expert on all things streaming, Kardashian, red carpet, Disney, and more — wisdom honed through eight years in various editorial roles at People Magazine
Lauren Harano is a contributor for PS and was formerly an editor for PS Living, Beauty, and Shop. She has a passion for skin care, murder mysteries, and online shopping. Aside from PS, her work can be found in the pages of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen as well as online at InStyle, Esquire, NBC, and various food and travel sites.
Balim Tezel (she/her) is a shopping updates editor at PS and the founder of Maison des Nus, a New York-based affordable luxury brand. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is out tomorrow, October 31. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of developer BioWare’s fantasy RPGs or a newcomer looking to see what all the fuss is about, it’s worth noting that The Veilguard represents a pretty drastic shift from the tactical, open-zone RPG gameplay of its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition. So no matter what your previous experience, there are a few things worth noting before you dive into this long-awaited return to Thedas. I’ve put over 60 hours into the game, so here are a few things I’ve learned for you to keep in mind as you get started. – Kenneth Shepard Read More
RICHFIELD, Minn. — Who needs a pumpkin after Halloween, anyways?
Before Richfield residents can throw their jack-o-lantern in the garbage, the city is providing a destructive, yet constructive alternative.
For the first time ever, Richfield hosted a ‘Pumpkin smash’ event Saturday at Veterans Park. The mission? Smash, then compost the Halloween waste.
The city’s solid waste specialist says it’s all for a good cause.
WCCO
We’re producing anywhere between 1-2 billion pumpkins anywhere in the United States,” said Zach McCarty. “[In a landfill] instead of breaking down in a way that’s beneficial, they’ll end up breaking down and producing methane gas, which is an incredibly potent greenhouse gas.”
When parents and kids alike smashed their gourds, they went instead into a bin for compost.
“Within about 30-60 days, we’ll have a really rich soil amendment that has benefits for any kind of project it can be used for around the state,” McCarty said. “It’s such a unique process that not only benefits our environment by diverting things from landfills, but it’s going to support engineering projects around the county, it’s going to start supporting gardens, farms, it has a lot of potential.”
We are not going to give you any personal information that might be harmful for us. Everyone is writing about us, and they are telling us that we are scammers.
Would you be comfortable telling me about the reports that you’re based in Pakistan? Is that true?
We hire some of the content creators, and one is from Pakistan, and others are from some other countries. But I don’t want to actually reveal their nationalities. People will blame the country if I say I’m from Dubai, then whenever you write an article, if you say that a guy from Pakistan, a guy from India, guy from Ireland, a guy from the UAE, it actually hurts some of the citizens of that country.
Would you be comfortable telling me how long you’ve had this Halloween website?
You will be shocked to know that we ranked our site in three months on the Google first page.
So you’ve only been in operation for three months?
Yes.
Why holiday events?
It’s a huge topic, but only for one day. So it is easy for us to generate revenue for that one day—then we don’t have to put in effort throughout the year. We just do work for three or four months, and then we’ll get the revenue.
Could you explain more about your business model. How do you make money?
Our business model is Google Ads. Google Ads and affiliate marketing.
Has this made you reconsider the ways that you operate? Will you change how you use AI going forward?
It is our mistake. We should double check it. Not only double, but triple check it. One more thing I want to add is that people should not consider Google as the standard. Google is just a search engine, and any person can post anything on it. Don’t just believe it. Just cross check!
Are you concerned that Google will downrank you now?
Definitely. We are expecting Google will derank.
Is there anything you could try to do to prevent that?
No, there is nothing. And this is because of all the misinformation provided by the journalists. They don’t actually know what our intentions are, but they are showing that our intentions are wrong. But right now the guys are very depressed. Listen to me. If we wanted to scam people, we can easily do so by selling fake tickets. But we never mentioned any tickets on the website. That would be very simple, but we didn’t even mention the ticket thing.
Salted Snickers Cookies have crisp buttery edges, a soft and chewy middle that’s loaded with chopped snickers candy bar pieces and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. The caramel becomes nice and gooey while the peanuts add delicious nutty flavor and the sea salt gives a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookies. This recipe will yield 40 cookies.
Snickers candy bars + Cookie Dough = heaven.
If you’ve never chopped up snickers candy bars and put them in cookies, this is your sign to do so. Soft chewy cookies with crisp buttery edges studded with chunks of gooey caramel, peanuts and chocolate – these cookies are phenomenal. And the flakey salt adds delicious textural crunch and compliments the sweet caramel and chocolate perfectly.
If you love snickers, you’re going to absolutely love these cookies!
To Make These Salted Snickers Cookies You Will Need:
unbleached all-purpose flour – Adds structure and is the base of the cookie dough.
baking soda – Creates a gas while baking which helps the cookies rise.
fine salt – Use either sea salt or pink himalayan.
unsalted butter (softened/room temperature) – Lends richness, tenderness and structure to cookies.
light brown sugar – Adds sweetness and gives the cookies a chewy texture.
granulated sugar (white) – Also lends sweetness but will give the cookies a crispy edge.
pure vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe.
eggs – Add structure, leavening and flavor.
snickers candy bars – You will need 6 full-size bars or 16 “fun-size” bars.
flaky salt – I like to use Maldon (not sponsored) and linked to it in the recipe printable.
PREHEAT YOUR OVEN TO 350℉ (OR 180℃).
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper
In a mixing bowl, measure and add 2-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon fine salt. Use a whisk to stir and combine. Set this off to the side.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup (room temperature) unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar.
Mix on low to medium-low speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Next, measure and add in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and add I egg at a time, mixing after each one.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add in the dry ingredients. Again, stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition.
Stop mixing once the flour is incorporated.
Chop 6 full-size snickers (or 12 – 16 “fun-size”) as big or as small as you would like.
Add in all of the chopped snickers bars.
With the mixer on low, mix until just combined.
Working in batches, use a 2-tablespoon scoop to measure out the cookie dough. Place them a few inches apart onto your prepared pan.
I bake 8 cookies per pan at time to avoid them touching while they bake and spread in the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove and immediately sprinkle with flakey salt.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to a wire cooling rack.
HOW TO GET PERFECTLY SHAPED COOKIES?
If perfect circular cookies is what you’re after, this is a trick, or should I say hack, that I only recently leaned. Once you’ve removed the pan of cookies from the oven, working quickly, use a wide mouth drinking glass and place it over a misshapen cookie and swirl the glass (keeping it flush with the pan). The edge of the cookie will smooth out and in turn, you’ll have a perfectly circular cookie. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. If you need a visual, click here and scroll down a bit.
I meannn, would you just look at this?😍
How To Store Salted Snickers Cookies:
Once the cookies have completely cooled, store them in an air-tight container for up to a week.
How To Freeze Salted Snickers Cookies:
Portion out the dough and freeze the raw dough as is, placing them closed together on a lined baking sheet. Place into your freezer and freeze until frozen solid. Transfer to a freezer safe container or baggie and store up to 2 months. Bake desired amount of cookies following the recipe instructions. There’s no need to thaw before baking.
Enjoy! And if you give this Salted Snickers Cookies recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Yield: 40cookies
Salted Snickers Cookies
Salted Snickers Cookies have crisp buttery edges, a soft and chewy middle that’s loaded with chopped snickers candy bar pieces and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. The caramel becomes nice and gooey while the peanuts add delicious nutty flavor and the sea salt gives a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cookies.
Prep Time: 15 minutesmins
Cook Time: 30 minutesmins
Total Time: 45 minutesmins
2¼cupsunbleached all-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonfine salt
1cupunsalted butter, room temperature
1cuplight brown sugar
1/2cupgranulated sugar
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
2largeeggs
6full-sizesnickers candy bars, chopped
flakey salt
Preheat your oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).Line two rimmed, metal baking pans with silicone liners or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. About 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the vanilla and one egg at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one.
Gradually add in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Mix until the flour is incorporated. Add in the chopped candy bars and mix a few times until throughout the dough – for large chunks of candy bar in your cookies, be careful not to over mix.
Use a 2-tablespoon scoop and place rounded scoops of dough onto prepared pans. I do 8 cookies per pan.
Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before using a spatula to transfer each cookie to a wire cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
Nutrition Disclaimer:All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Heidi Klum and Janelle Monáe opted for out-of-this-world Halloween costumes this year — both choosing to dress as the stubby alien E.T. for their parties on opposite coasts.
While the similar costumes will likely spark “who wore it best” debates that are popular in celebrity magazines, the stars chose different interpretations of the creature from Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
Klum’s husband Tom Kaulitz dressed as E.T., while the model and television personality came as Mrs. E.T. with animatronic eyes, a long neck and a blonde wig. Monáe opted for a stubbier version of the diminutive alien, waddling on the red carpet at her Halloween bash Thursday night. The Grammy winner’s E.T. had animatronic eyes and also sported a yellow index finger, mimicking the movie character’s light up finger.
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Tom Kaulitz, left, and Heidi Klum attend Heidi Klum’s 23rd annual Halloween party on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Hard Rock Hotel New York in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Monáe also adopted an otherworldly voice similar to E.T.’s when doing interviews Thursday. She downplayed any rivalry with Klum, telling The Associated Press, “There can be two Hallo-queens. I love Heidi.”
Janelle Monae as E.T. appears with Jennifer Hudson on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” airing on October 31, 2024 in Burbank, California.
Mitch Haddad/WBTV via Getty Images
Klum and Monáe take Halloween seriously, with each donning elaborate costumes. This year, their Halloween night parties played out on opposite coasts, with Klum gathering celebrity friends in New York and Monáe hosting her party in Los Angeles.
Klum’s face was in the creature’s neck, allowing her to see and speak. She told the AP her costume had been in the works for a year.
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“I have been a fan of E.T. since I was 9 years old,” Klum said. As she spoke, the mouth of her costume head moved thanks to the mechanical features inside the suit.
Heidi Klum attends Heidi Klum’s 23rd annual Halloween party on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at Hard Rock Hotel New York in New York.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
“I just love becoming this thing. E.T. is very small and so I thought it would be fun to kind of play with the proportions too,” Klum said.
Klum and Kaulitz touched their heads tenderly after unveiling their costumes amid smoke and a light show at Klum’s party.
Monáe revealed her E.T. costume on Wednesday on The Jennifer Hudson Show. She also did an elaborate photo shoot posted on Instagram where she appeared riding a bike with E.T. in a basket on front, an homage to one of the most iconic moments of Spielberg’s film.
GREENWICH VILLAGE, Manhattan (WABC) — Thousands of people participated in New York City’s 51st annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade Thursday night with costumes inspired by this year’s “cat lady” theme.
The NYPD was prepared as always when the sun goes down and the werewolves come out.
The theme this year was “Meow!” and celebrated the inner “cat lady” in everyone.
“The minute that the phrase was said about childless cat ladies – from Taylor Swift right down to the tiniest cat lady – everyone was on this,” said Director of the Village Halloween Parade, Jeanne Fleming.
The parade brought to life a celebration of cat-inspired artistry, individuality and bravado.
Leading the Halloween parade this year as grand marshal was Tony Award-winning actor André De Shields, best known for his role as Hermes in the Broadway musical ‘Hadestown’ and recently as Old Deuteronomy in ‘CATS: The Jellicle Ball.’
The parade was even being sponsored by Smalls, a cat food company.
Alex Kahn with Processional Arts Workshop said they made puppets including 32 larger-than-life cats for the parade.
Lauren Glassberg has more.
Along with the cats, floats and women carry brooms which is a tribute to the sweeper puppets from the early days of the parade.
Ahead of the big event, the NYPD said security would be tight and there is expected to be a large turnout due to the unseasonably warm weather.
“A lot goes into this to make sure it’s a safe night,” said NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Tania Kinsella said.
Some even traveled from across the world and country to bring their best costumes to the parade.
“We are from Whitley Bay in England,” one family said.
“We actually live in South Carolina and we flew up here to New York just to be in the parade this year,” said Mike Mullaney.
But before the annual tradition got underway, there was a special less-spooky event for the kids: the 34th Annual NYU Children’s Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village.
The fun began at 3 p.m. in Washington Square Park. Kids and families were encouraged to come and show off their amazing costumes as they marched around the perimeter of the park.
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Courtesy of Brittany Mahomes/Instagram As Patrick Mahomes settles into his NFL bye week, he’s soaking up family time with wife Brittany Mahomes and their two children. “Got to go to the zoo today and see some behind-the-scenes amazing things, like feeding a giraffe,” Brittany, 29, wrote via Instagram Story on Thursday, October 10, sharing footage […]
The kids adorably got in on the action too, dressing as other zoo animals. The couple’s daughter Sterling, 3, wore a pink flamingo costume while son Bronze, who turns 2 in November, was pictured in a lion onesie.
“Happy Halloween🖤,” the pair captioned the joint post, while Brittany also shared a video of Bronze saying, “Trick-or-treat.”
It appears the family have developed quite an affinity for zoo animals; Patrick, Brittany and the kids also enjoyed a family outing to the zoo just last month.
Brittany and Bronze Mahomes.(Courtesy of Brittany Mahomes/Instagram)
“Got to go to the zoo today and see some behind-the-scenes amazing things, like feeding a giraffe,” Brittany shared via Instagram Story on October 10, posting footage of a zookeeper giving the mammal a bottle of milk.
In another post snap, Patrick helped Bronze feed one of the giraffes a leaf snack.
Meanwhile, Sterling’s love for flamingos was clear when the family went to visit the birds’ enclosure.
After visiting the flamingo enclosure, the family visited the lions’ habitat, which piqued Bronze’s interest.
“Got to see the beautiful lion behind the scenes,” Brittany wrote via Instagram. “Bronze is scared of a lot of things … but was not scared of this lion?”
Pregnant Brittany Mahomes is getting into the fall spirit with her and husband Patrick Mahomes’ kids by her side. “The moments that mean the most, big Fall Pumpkin Patch Fam🍂🎃🤎,” Brittany, 29, wrote via Instagram on Friday, September 27, alongside several photos from their festive outing at Kansas City’s Johnson Farms Plants and Pumpkins. In […]
Patrick and Brittany, who started dating in high school, revealed in July they were adding to their brood.
“Round three, here we come,” the couple captioned a joint Instagram post on July 12. The couple were joined by daughter Sterling, and Bronze in a sweet video set to Bruno Mars’ “Count on You” that showed off her ultrasound photos.
“I think people don’t even realize how much she does,” the NFL star said during a May appearance on the “Impaulsive” podcast. “I mean, taking care of the day-to-day stuff and make it where I can focus on football and focus on my craft and everything like that.”
He added: “[She’s] a Hall of Fame mom and a Hall of Fame wife, [which] makes it a lot easier. I mean, when you get to come home and your best friend’s there and you can just hang out, it makes you want to be there all the time and she pushes me to be great and she’s done a lot of great things herself.”
After your jack-o’-lantern has served its purpose on Halloween, there are tons of options in the D.C. area for donating your pumpkins to.
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Don’t waste Halloween: Where and how to donate your leftover pumpkins
After your jack-o’-lantern has served its purpose on Halloween, don’t toss it to the curb.
Experts said it’s spooky just how much damage pumpkins can do to the environment as more than 2 million pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills worldwide every Halloween.
Those that end up in landfills can emit methane, a greenhouse gas that’s 20 times more harmful than CO2, according to a D.C.-area group called Pumpkins for the People.
There are tons of options in the D.C. area for donating your pumpkins.
“It is a 2 billion pound-a-year problem that we can solve one pumpkin at a time,” said Jeremy Brosowsky, founder and CEO of Agricity, which operates the Pumpkins for the People program.
Food waste in the U.S. accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the program.
“Changing people’s behavior and implementing infrastructure that enables people to waste less, and to make sure that what they do waste gets sent to the right places and is used for meaningful purposes, it’s what we do,” Brosowsky said.
His group takes leftover pumpkins at donation sites. Any carved-up jack-o’-lanterns can be smashed into pieces and used for compost.
Before you donate, make sure to remove any candles. The organization also doesn’t take painted pumpkins.
They also take pumpkins and squash that are unblemished to feed people in the community with the help of partnerships with organizations such as Martha’s Table.
A donated pumpkin with a carved-up face. (WTOP/Jessica Kronzer)
You can find one of the 21 drop-off sites in the D.C. area on the service’s website. Unlike most businesses, Brosowsky said the next three weeks will be his busiest of the year.
“If you are interested in claiming pumpkins for your school, for your not-for-profit organization, for your kitchen, whatever it might be, those pumpkins are then going to be made available for people to pick up at the end of market each day for the next three weekends,” Brosowsky said.
But pumpkins aren’t just a seasonal treat for people.
Loudoun County-based Pumpkins for Pigs turns your leftover jack-o’-lanterns into feasts for animals at farms, animal sanctuaries and rescues around the country. You can search for a drop-off site on its website.
Mill Road Farm, which is located south of Leesburg, Virginia, has been a drop-off site since the organization began accepting donations in 2017, according to Sarah Hatch, who helps the farm with her father.
The organization has since grown to 600 collection centers around the U.S., according to its website.
Despite its name, it feeds many types of livestock.
“It’s not just for pigs,” Hatch said. “Cows, sheep … goats and we have a horse, and she doesn’t really care for it.”
Once the pumpkins are in sight, Hatch said those farm animals know they’re in for a sweet snack beyond their typical diet of hay or grain.
“You throw it over. You crack it open. They devour it,” Hatch said. “They eat the innards, the seeds, just the whole pumpkin.”
When you’re ready to dump your pumpkin, Hatch said you can drop it off in a bin at the end of the farm’s driveway.
The impact goes beyond this season, Hatch said leftover seeds sometimes grow into pumpkins that they can also use feed the animals.
“I think we’ve got probably about around 250 little pumpkins this year from regrowth from previous years,” Hatch said.
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