Lace a Jack-o'-Lantern

What You Need:

• Construction paper (orange and yellow)
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Hole punch
• Cotton balls
• Yarn
• Glue stick
• Tape

What You Do:

1. Stack two sheets of orange construction paper on top of one another and instruct your child to draw the largest pumpkin he can on the top sheet. Encourage them to fill the page and include a stem at the top of the pumpkin.
2. Keeping the sheets of paper stacked, ask them to cut along the lines of the drawn pumpkin, cutting through both sheets of paper at the same time. (Help hold the paper together so the bottom sheet doesn't slip while cutting.)
3. Help hole punch around the pumpkin. Make sure to leave a fingers-width between every hole so there's enough space to sew. Move the top pumpkin shape to the side.
4. Encourage your child to fluff out several cotton balls and glue them down on the bottom pumpkin shape.
5. Position the top pumpkin shape on top of the cotton. The stems on both pumpkins should be facing the same way. Help thread the yarn through the top hole to the right of the stem and tape the end of it on the back of the pumpkin.
6. Help thread the yarn through all of the holes. Tape the final piece of yarn to the back of the pumpkin.
7. Ask your child to draw the jack-o'-lantern face on the yellow construction paper. Cut out the shapes and glue them to the front of the stuffed pumpkin.
8. Now, they can share their stuffed pumpkin by hanging it in the window, or propping it up anywhere else that needs and added touch of Halloween spook.