November’s theme: Pumpkins!

READ: Enjoy a Facebook Live Storytime opens in a new window as we a story about how tiny seeds can grow into delicious fruits and veggies.
 
WATCH: Check out our Pumpkin Seed Recipe video to learn how to cook up a nutritious snack out of discarded pumpkin seeds!
 

 

DO: Planting in a Pumpkin Activity

Materials:

  • A small pumpkin (roughly 3-4 pounds)
  • Scooping tools (spoons or pumpkin scooper)
  • Knife
  • Seeds for desired plant
  • Potting soil
  • Water
  • Small garden trowel
  • Optional: Drill

Steps:

  1. Have a grown-up use a knife to cut the top of your pumpkin around the stem, creating a circle that will be large enough for you to scoop out the inside of the pumpkin.
  2. Use your scooping tools to remove all the pumpkin seeds and the pumpkin fibers until your pumpkin is hollow. Tip: You can save your pumpkin seeds to make a delicious and nutritious roasted pumpkin seed snack!
  3. Make drainage holes in the bottom of your pumpkin so that when you water your plant, the water has a place to escape. You can use a drill or a knife to create these holes. This is a great job for a grown-up!
  4. Using your potting soil and small garden trowel, fill your pumpkin with soil.
  5. Make a hole roughly one inch deep in your soil. Place into the hole your seed. Cover the hole with dirt. Repeat this step for each seed you would like to plant inside your pumpkin. Beans, peas, or pumpkin seeds work great to grow!
  6. Water your pumpkin until the soil is damp and place in a sunny location.
  7. After some time, your pumpkin will begin to naturally break down. Once this happens, it is a great time to plant your pumpkin and seeds outside. Dig a hole in the ground and place your pumpkin inside. Your pumpkin will act as great natural fertilizer for your plant.
  8. Explore! Make observations about how your seedlings begin to grow! Observe shapes colors and sizes of your plants stems, leaves, and flowers!

Safety:
Make sure a grown-up uses the sharp tools!

Download the “Planting in a Pumpkin” activity sheet. opens in a new window