DIY Chalkboard Pumpkin

I have a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, and both kids are thrilled about Halloween and picking their own pumpkins. This year, instead of making jack-o’-lanterns, I decided to spray-paint their pumpkins with chalkboard paint. We live in an area with a lot of deer, raccoons, and even bobcats. In the past, our animal friends have taken bites off our jack-o’-lanterns, giving them an even spookier effect while at the same time making the children sad that their creations were destroyed. Luckily, our furry friends have no interest in chalkboard paint, so our pumpkins are safe and the kids get to draw on them and erase as much as they want, coming up with new creations throughout the month.

To make a chalkboard pumpkin, you’ll need a nice big, solid pumpkin, paper you can put under it to keep the area clean, and chalkboard spray paint, found in most hardware stores.

You’ll want to do it on a sunny day so your pumpkin can dry quickly and to do it outside, where there’s plenty of ventilation. Give your pumpkin a nice thick coat of spray paint and let it dry for four to six hours.

When the top part of the pumpkin is dry, paint the bottom. Again, let it dry for four to six hours.

After your pumpkin is dry, repeat the process to make sure it gets a good second coat of paint. That way, the paint won’t just chip off.

Then let your kids enjoy using it as a canvas for their Halloween art!