DIY Project
About

Paint · Halloween · Preschoolers

Puffy paint pumpkins

Homemade puffy paint from shaving cream and glue dries into a squishy, raised pumpkin you can't stop touching.

Puffy paint pumpkins
LevelIntermediate
AgesAges 3 to 5
Time30 minutes plus overnight drying
Cost$3 to $6
HalloweenFallDollar storeRainy day

What you'll need

Materials

Tick them off as you find them.

Tools

How to make it

Safety

Keep shaving cream away from eyes and mouths, and wash hands when done.

  1. Step 1: Draw a pumpkin
    1

    Draw a pumpkin

    Draw a big pumpkin shape on the cardstock.

  2. Step 2: Mix the puffy paint
    2

    Mix the puffy paint

    Stir the shaving cream and glue together in the bowl. Fold gently so it stays fluffy.

  3. Step 3: Color it orange
    3

    Color it orange

    Squeeze in orange paint and stir. Save a spoonful of white for green.

  4. Step 4: Spread it on
    4

    Spread it on

    Let your child spread the orange inside the pumpkin with a craft stick or fingers. It feels like frosting.

  5. Step 5: Add the stem
    5

    Add the stem

    Tint the leftover with green and add a stem on top.

  6. Step 6: Dry overnight
    6

    Dry overnight

    Leave it flat overnight. It dries puffy and soft to touch.

Edie's tip

Use foam shaving cream, not gel. Gel won't puff up.

Written by the DIY Project team. How we check · Report a mistake

More preschoolers projects

Make this next

See all 97

Footprint ghosts
Paint

Footprint ghosts

White paint on tiny feet makes a row of friendly ghosts, with toes for the bottom of each sheet.

Beginner20 minutes plus drying$2 to $5
Handprint turkey
Paint

Handprint turkey

A rainbow handprint becomes a puffed-up turkey, the classic Thanksgiving keepsake for the fridge.

Beginner20 minutes plus drying$2 to $5
Paper plate pumpkin
Paper

Paper plate pumpkin

A fat orange pumpkin with a curly green vine that your preschooler paints, tears and glues all by themselves.

Beginner30 minutes plus drying$2 to $5