It’s time to carve pumpkins!! Carving pumpkins is a fun halloween tradition for the entire family. However, as parents, our main priority is keeping our children safe while having fun! 🎃
Where did pumpkin carving come from? Celts, a collection of tribes which originated in central Europe, used to believe that the secret to warding away evil spirits was to carve and place pumpkins on their porches and windows. Now, it’s become one of the funnest, and messiest, activities in the American tradition that the majority of the 1.5 billion pounds of fresh pumpkin varieties grown in the US each year during halloween. Carving pumpkins is all fun and games until someone gets hurt so here are a few tips to prevent that and keep this Fall season happy and safe!
Here are 5 quick tips on pumpkin carving safety:
1. Prep the pumpkin for carving – dispose of pumpkin seeds and pulp that may be choking hazards for your children.Â
2. Talk to your children about the dangers of carving pumpkins before you begin – informing them of the potential cuts, scrapes, and burns provides them with more information on why to be careful.Â
3. Avoid sharp knives – any child under 5 years old should steer clear of carving knives. Instead, have them decorate their pumpkin with markers or paints!
4. Monitor carving closely – make sure that you’re prepping a flat & well lit surface for carving so that it mitigates the potential issues of uneven surfaces. Keep an eye on any older children that may be carving pumpkins – consider purchasing a special pumpkin cutter tool that prevents accidents to carve your pumpkins.
5. Once your pumpkin is all carved – make sure that you place them far away from any flammable material. Do not leave your pumpkins unattended and do not let your child play near the flames.
Want to keep the holiday spirit going with a fun game? Check out this fun halloween themed memory game for you to play with your child! Did you know that Memory games actually help develop a child’s critical thinking skills, provide exercise for the brain, develop visual recognition and long term memory and can even help them build up their planning skills?
If you’re looking for some additional fun STEAM activities that you could do with your child check out the activities on theyounginventorsclub.com – not only is there a dashboard filled with great activities but every month new blog posts are released with even further content!