Here’s a hands-on activity that combines fine motor practice with a big dose of imagination. Orange playdough, pumpkin seeds, small leaves, sticks, and cinnamon give everything a cozy fall twist in this playdough pumpkin activity. Let kids shape, poke, pinch, and create, while you encourage them to talk about what the seeds, leaves, and stems do. This simple play is perfect for curious little ones who love learning through touch and play. Find more fall activities for kids here.
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Why I love this pumpkin play dough invitation to create
I love sensory play, nature play and seasonal activities for kids and this activity included all three! I have found that children love playdough, from toddlers up to about 7 years (but every child is different). It’s great for fine motor skills too.
I hope your children love this seasonal playdough activitiy this fall or autumn. They might like to use it alongside this pumpkin life cycle activity.
Supplies you’ll need for this playdough pumpkin activity
You just need a few simple supplies to create some fall reschool fun with this playdough activity. The main thing you will need is orange playdough which can be store-bought or homemade. If you are making your own pumpkin playdough, consider add pumpkin spice to for a cozy fall scented pumpkin spiced playdough.
- * Orange playdough
- Pumpkin seeds (cleaned and dried if you are using ones from a pumpkin you have carved yourself)
- Small leaves
- Small sticks or twigs
- * Cinnamon sticks
Simply add all the supplies to a tray with different compartments. I love this * wooden round tray with compartments.
How kids can play with this playdough tray
Simply set up all the supplies on a tray and invite your kids to explore the materials freely. You could show them how create a playdough pumpkin especially if they are younger or simply let them create their own.
If you want to create a pumpkin then start by shaping some orange playdough into a pumpkin shape.
Then use the natural arts you have set out to represent the different parts.
- Pumpkin seeds, these are the seeds inside the pumpkin.
- Leaves, use these for the top of the pumpkin vine
- Sticks/twigs, use these to create the stem
- Cinnamon sticks, these are another stem option. They’re great to add as they create an extra sensory element with the scent.
Children can press the seeds into the dough, arrange leaves on top, and build their own imaginative versions of a pumpkin. Hopefully they’ll create loads of super cute pumpkins.
You can encourage them to talk about each part as they build their pumpkin. Get them to think about what it looks like, what the part does and where it goes on the pumkin.
Love this pumpkin activity? How about creating milk jug jack-o-lanterns next? Or these Pumpkin 2D and 3D Geometry Cards.
Looking for a seasonal craft? How about this apple popsicle stick craft.
You might also like to combine it with this Harvesting Apples Mini Unit and Printables.
You could do these Lifecycle of a Pumpkin Yoga poses afterwards to extend your play.
Benefits of this fall activity
Sensory play has so many benefits for young children. This playdough activity is no exceptions so here’s why you need to include it in your pumpkin theme this fall or autumn.
Fine motor development – Molding dough, pinching seeds, and handling small items strengthens hand muscles and coordination. It’s so important to develop fine motor skills in preparation for writing.
Sensory exploration – Kids engage multiple senses in this fall activity through touch (playdough textures), smell (pumpkin spice and cinnamon), and sight (fall colors and nature items).
Language & science learning – While playing, children can learn about the parts of a pumpkin and begin understanding basic plant life cycles. You could combine this activity with a trip to a pumpkin patch to really get them to understand where pumpkins come from and how they grow.
Creativity – Open-ended play encourages imagination and artistic expression and there’s lots of opportunity for this in this activity.
More fall activities for young children
Fancy another play dough activity but with more of a Halloween theme? How about our Build a spider playdough activity.
Embrace all the fallen leaves this fall with these Autumn leaves activities for toddlers.
Get 10 free fall coloring sheets here.
Here are my favourite Autumn picture books. Perfect for getting cosy and reading this fall.
Find the best autumn activities for preschool here.
Another great thing to do at this time of year is craft a scarecrow. Get inspired here – Scarecrow crafts for kids.