Fall is the perfect season to bring cozy, hands-on learning into your homeschool! Pumpkins aren’t just for carving or pie. They’re full of inspiration for poetry, crafts, science, and math activities. Whether you’re looking to add seasonal fun to your homeschool day or need a creative unit study idea, this pumpkin-themed guide will give you everything you need. Plus, grab my free printable pumpkin poems to bring beautiful fall-themed memory work into your homeschool Morning Time.
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Beautiful Pumpkin Poetry for Memory Work
One of the best ways to bring beauty into your homeschool is through poetry memory work. These classic and whimsical poems about pumpkins make perfect memory work or copywork for your children:
- “When the Frost is on the Punkin” by James Whitcomb Riley
- “Theme in Yellow” by Carl Sandburg
- “The Pumpkin” by John Greenleaf Whittier
I’ve added a free printable of these poems to my exclusive subscriber-freebies page. Join my email list here and get access to these pumpkin poems plus hundreds of other free printables and homeschool resources.
Ideas for Using Pumpkin Poems in Your Homeschool:
- Copywork practice pages
- Morning time recitation
- Poetry tea time with warm cider and pumpkin bread
Hands-On Pumpkin Crafts
Nothing says fall like a table covered in pumpkin crafts! These fun activities will keep little hands busy and encourage creativity while adding a festive touch to your home.
Craft Ideas:
- Pumpkin Seed Mosaics – Save seeds from carving pumpkins, dye or paint them, and create colorful art pieces.
- Paper Strip Pumpkins – Cut orange paper into strips, then staple or glue the ends together to form a 3D pumpkin shape.
- Pumpkin Pie Play Dough – Make homemade play dough with pumpkin spice for a sensory experience.
Pumpkin Math and Science Activities
Turn your pumpkin into a fun math and science lesson! Cindy at Our Journey Westward, for example, has tons of good ideas for pumpkin nature study, science, and math.
Jessica at The Waldock Way even has a free Pumpkin Unit Study!
Or you could try one of these ideas:
Math Ideas:
- Estimation Fun – Guess how many seeds are inside, then count and graph the results.
- Weigh & Measure – Compare pumpkin weights, circumferences, and heights.
- Skip Counting with Seeds – Practice counting by 2s, 5s, or 10s using seeds.
Science Ideas:
- Pumpkin Life Cycle Exploration – Study seeds, sprouts, vines, blossoms, and mature pumpkins.
- Sink or Float Experiment – Test small pumpkins and gourds in water to explore buoyancy.
- Pumpkin Decomposition – Observe a pumpkin over time to learn about decay and composting.
You May Also Enjoy:
- Hands-On Homeschool Fun for Thanksgiving: art, science, games, and more!
- Thanksgiving Book List FREE Printable
- Thanksgiving Morning Time Resource Pack
- Easy Thanksgiving Activities for the Whole Family (for the Non-Crafty Mom)
- Mama’s Famous Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Celebrating the Autumn Holidays in Your Homeschool
- Pumpkin Patch Scavenger Hunt
- Pumpkins Unit Study for Preschool & Kindergarten Students
- Pumpkin Patch Gospel
