This special way to carve a pumpkin is perfect for Christian schools, Sunday School classes, etc. It relates the pumpkin carving experience with Jesus.
The printable book is a nice follow-up activity that give students a hand-made keepsake that will remind them of the pumpkin carving activity.
Materials Needed:
pumpkin
pumpkin carving tools
marker or pen
battery operated candle
newspaper
bowl
Christian Pumpkin Carving Directions
Instead of cutting a hole in the top of the pumpkin, draw a heart shape on the back.
Ask the students what shape you drew. Explain that they should take Jesus into their heart and love him with their whole heart.
Carve out the heart. The children may sing “Jesus Loves Me” or “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World” while you are carving the heart shape.
Show the children the “yucky” looking pulp inside the heart and say that it doesn’t make the heart look very nice. Explain that the pulp is like our “yucky” sins and we don’t feel very nice when we sin.
Clean out the pulp and the seeds from inside the heart and place them in the bowl.
(Children may assist in cleaning out the pulp or you may allow them to touch and smell it as you clean it out or look at it through magnifying glasses. Ask them to describe it to you. You may also take this opportunity to talk about the pumpkin seeds & planting a pumpkin)
While cleaning out the pulp, explain that this is similar to Jesus taking away or forgiving our sins and making our hearts clean again.
Ask how this makes the students feel (happy). Draw a happy face on the front of the pumpkin. You may draw shapes for the eyes and nose and ask the students to name the shapes.
Cut out the happy face on the front side of the pumpkin. While you are cutting out the happy face the children may sing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” or “Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See”.
Place a battery operated light/candle inside the pumpkin and light up the happy face.
Explain that Jesus is the light of the world and should light up their life. When you take Jesus into your heart it makes you feel happy, good, & pure. Sing “This Little Light of Mine”.
Christian Pumpkin Carving Book
This student-made book is a great follow-up activity to the pumpkin carving. The book gives students a nice keepsake and reminder of the activity.
Cover Page – Students write their name on the line under the pumpkin to complete the title. Students color the pumpkins and words.
Page 2 – Take Jesus into your heart. Students trace the heart, pretending to “cut it out” like in the pumpkin carving activity and color the rest of the pumpkin.
Page 3 – This is how I feel when Jesus takes away my sins. Students draw a happy face on the pumpkin.
Page 4 – The light of Jesus shines in me! Students color the face yellow to resemble it shining and the pumpkin orange.
Students cut apart the pages along the dotted lines and put them in order to form a book. Staple the pages together.
