November

Things to Do With Your Leftover Pumpkins

Pumpkin Guts, from "About Pumpkins"
Will your jack-o-lantern sink or float? If it floats add various objects to see how much weight it will hold afloat.

• Make a pumpkin bird feeder. (Audubon Society)
• Or make a different kind of bird feeder like this. Cut the pumpkin into strips, insert pumpkin or sunflower seeds into the pumpkin flesh, drill holes at the top and hang with jute. Instructions here.
• If you have a pond, fountain, creek or other body of water nearby, hollow out your pumpkins and float them. If you have enough room, have a pumpkin race. Experiment to find out if jack-o-lanterns will float.
• Place them in a fish tank with garden soil, cover the tank with plastic wrap, and watch the pumpkin decompose. Or set it out in a bed outdoors and chart changes. (Case of the Missing Pumpkin)
• Fill them halfway with garden soil, add worms and sprinkle coffee grounds, shredded newspaper and other organic matter. Place in the aquarium or in a bed outdoors, and watch the worms eat themselves out of their home.
• Make a pumpkin pinata.

Do you have some fun ideas for leftover pumpkins you want to share? Send me an email.

• Write a story with a pumpkin as the main character.
• Write a detailed description of a pumpkin.