Pumpkins are full of good stuff like vitamins A and C. These help keep your child’s eyes healthy and support their immune system, which helps them fight off sickness. Pumpkins also have fiber, which helps with digestion and keeps your child feeling full longer.
Whole, fresh pie pumpkins are generally approved for purchase with WIC benefits. However, ornamental or decorative pumpkins, like those used for carving or painting, are not typically eligible.
Look for “whole, fresh pie pumpkins” when shopping with WIC benefits, then try these easy, low-to-no-cost activities to help your little one grow strong and learn new skills.
Low-to-No-Cost Pumpkin Activities
Let your child give a pumpkin a bath with soap, water, and a sponge or rag. Talk about the color, shape, and texture.
Cut open a pumpkin and let your child scoop out the seeds with a spoon or their hands. Sure, it’s messy – but it’s also really fun! Help manage the mess by putting down newspaper or an old towel to protect surfaces and make clean up easier.
Cook a small piece of pumpkin or use canned pumpkin (just pumpkin—no sugar added). Let your child try it plain or mixed into oatmeal, yogurt, or soup.
Sit with your child and tell a short story about a pumpkin—real or pretend. Or read a pumpkin-themed book from your library. Here are a couple quick stories about The Little Pumpkin and The Jolly Old Pumpkin you can read for free online.
Pick a safe space indoors or outdoors. Choose a starting line and a finish line, then let your child roll a small pumpkin across the floor. How long does it take to roll the pumpkin from one end to the other? Take turns and cheer each other on!
After scooping out the pumpkin seeds, rinse and dry them. Then count them together! Make little piles of 5 or 10.
Grab some paper, scissors, markers, and glue. Help your child draw or cut out eyes, noses, and mouths, then let them glue silly faces on the pumpkin!
Pumpkins are more than just a fall decoration. They’re healthy, fun, and full of ways to help your child learn and grow. From washing and rolling to counting seeds and reading stories, pumpkin play builds strong bodies and curious minds. Best of all, these activities are low-cost or free—and full of smiles!
Ririro. (2024, August). The little pumpkin [PDF].
https://ririro.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-Little-Pumpkin_compressed-1.pdf
Ririro. (2023, June). The jolly old pumpkin [PDF].
https://ririro.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-Jolly-Old-Pumpkin_compressed.pdf
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Is there a way to print this? I would love to share it with the WIC families that I work with at our in person visits.