Pumpkin Stencils for Families

Carving a pumpkin is a family affair. Many crafts involve one or maybe two people working together to create something beautiful. Jack-o-lanterns are an annual chance for everyone to join in the creative process. Little children can scoop goop while big kids learn to carve.

Once the all important task of choosing the pumpkin (or pumpkins) has been accomplished, the next big decision involves choosing the pumpkin's new look. Stencils can help achieve the perfect pumpkin appearance. There's something for everyone's taste. Here are some sites which offer stencils and carving tips for kids and their parents:

Paper Pumpkins offers Easy Halloween Pumpkin Carving Patterns for Children. This is one of the most comprehensive sites for free stencil patterns with over 50 pages to choose from. Other links on the site include coloring pictures and pumpkin design parts to mix and match.

DLTK's Holiday Activities for Kids Pumpkin Carving Patterns has many kid-friendly templates plus instructions.

Make-a Your Own-a Pumpakin! is a fun site which lets the user pick a design then watch the pumpkin be virtually carved. Like the design? Print the stencil. If not, choose another pumpkin pattern.

Easy Halloween carving templates and patterns has around 40 different designs. Some are traditional but others are whimsical, such as the recycle symbol and a storm trooper's face.

For lots of different pumpkin patterns styles, go to UN-Halloween Pumpkin Patterns. Not all patterns are easy but many will appeal to kids. There are stencils for animals, fantasy, medieval, religious and even other holidays.

Pumpkin Carving 101 explains how to turn clipart into a pumpkin carving stencil. Other links on this site tell the history of pumpkin carving and an explanation of pumpkin burial.

Swan's Pumpkin Farm has eight classic designs. It's a nice selection of non-scary stencils.

Hershey's Halloween pumpkin stencils has traditional designs in three levels: easy, intermediate and advanced. Other links on the page include decorating ideas and Halloween clipart.

Kraft Foods has Pumpkin Stencils & Tips which offers half a dozen simple designs plus a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds and an illustrated guide to carving a pumpkin.

The Pumpkin Lady has many free stencils grouped by years - scroll down the page to find them. There are many different designs to appeal to a variety of tastes. This site also offers pumpkin carving videos.

Families still have to travel to the pumpkin patch to find the right round vegetable. The perfect pumpkin design can be found online from the traditional to patriotic to fantastical to abstract. Happy carving!