I love AUTUMN. The days are getting cooler and the expectation of the upcoming school year seems embodied by the changing colours of the trees. One of my favourite autumn symbols is the pumpkin. In fact, if you look back through the FunLab archive you will find it littered with all sorts of projects dedicated to the pumpkin. So here I am back again with another AUTUMN post: Welcome Autumn with MINI PUMPKINS. Decorate your house will these mini pumpkins and bring the festive mood inside!
If you are working with English as a second language (ESL) students, this is an excellent activity. You can give the children step by step instructions and work on learning by doing! For example, the pumpkin is made up of the 8 legs of the star shape. Each of these legs needs to have 12 orange beads. Time to work on COUNTING!
WELCOME AUTUMN WITH MINI PUMPKINS!
These mini pumpkins are really easy to make. All you need are four orange chenille stems, one green stem, one brown stem and 96 orange pony beads per pumpkin. You need to start by positioning the 4 orange stems in a star formation.
Fold two of the legs of the star across the center to fix the chenille stems into place. This will make the beading and pumpkin formation easier.
Working one leg of the star at a time, slide on 12 orange pony beads. Remember to count out each of the 12 beads with your ESL students!
The next step can be a little tricky for little hands so if you working with kids you will need to help. Bend the beaded legs into a pumpkin shape bringing together the unbeaded section of the orange chenille stems.
You will use the green chenille stem to secure the unbeaded part of the orange stems. Wrap it around a couple of times leaving a piece hanging off on each side.
The rest of the orange chenille stems will be used to create the stem of the pumpkin so you need to wrap it with the brown chenille stem.
Now you can finish off the green chenille stems. Wrap them around a pencil in order to make those adorable spirils that characterize the pumpkin!
Now your MINI PUMPKINS are completed. Sprinkle them around your house for lots of smiles.
If you are looking for other pumpkin crafts take a look here:
2018: Pumpkin Place markers
2018: Paper Mache Pumpkins
2013: Clay Pumpkins
There are many more but these are a few of my favourites!
keep crafting
Alison and the FunLab team
No Comments