Dot painting is one of my favorite mediums for little kids to explore creativity.
This adorable recycled newspaper craft project for kids is such a fun way to create holiday decor. The paper crafted dot paint pumpkin masterpieces can be strung together to create a garland or used individually for cards and gift tags. The possibilities with dot painting is endless.
Materials and Supplies Needed
- Dot Markers (Best for Young Children)
- Acrylic Paint (Orange, Brown and Green)
- Round Sponge Brushes If Using Paint
- Newspaper
- Black Marker
- Scissors
- Card Stock
- Tape Runner
- Ribbon/Twine
Directions for Dot Paint Pumpkin
The pumpkins can be painted with either dot markers OR acrylic paint. If this project is being done with young children, the dot markers are highly recommended. They dry instantly and are super easy to use. For older kids, acrylic paint with a sponge brush is really fun.
Step One
Draw pumpkins on newspaper and cut them out, leaving a little room outside the black line. Be sure to add stems and vine leaves. Use the tape runner to adhere the newspaper pumpkins to card stock. The color is up to you for the card stock but orange is definitely a great choice.
Step Two
Using orange acrylic paint, add “dots” of paint all over the pumpkin to color it in. If desired, different colors of orange paint could be used.
Step Three
Using a paintbrush, paint the stems and leaves. let the pumpkins dry completely before moving on the the next step. This is a good time to rinse the brushes thoroughly.
Step Four
Once the paint is dry, cut around the pumpkins leaving a border of card stock showing. The pumpkins should each be a little different from the others, kind of like pumpkins picked in the patch.
Step Five
Using ribbons, raffia, twine and maybe even yarn, create a garland.
The pumpkins can be hole punched to string together or taped on the backs.
Then stick your black cat in the picture because he makes the best Halloween prop of all!
Making the Pumpkins with Dot Markers
Here are a few pictures from when we made them the first time ever. The girls were little and we were stuck in a hotel for a long weekend. We actually used BINGO markers because back then, their weren’t such cool Dot Markers on the market. I love Zoe’s second grade handwriting in this patch.
Using a brown magic marker for coloring the stem is a fun idea for kids too. If kids really want to color with crayons or colored pencils, I say LET THEM! Kids deserve the opportunity to explore creativity in ways that it works for them! That is how artist bloom. A patch of dot paint pumpkin art made by a bunch of kids would be magical.
Classroom Party Ideas
If you are doing crafts with groups of kids either at school or home, here are loads of great ideas.
Seven Reasons Kids Should Be Crafting
There are unlimited numbers of reasons that kids should be crafting. Based on research and opinions of experts, I am excited to share seven of my favorite reasons to get messy and make all the things with your kiddos.
Practice Fine Motor Skills
Many craft projects require the use of fine motor skills to cut, tie knots, paint, color and even apply glue. Crafting provides a great opportunity to work on fine motor skills while creating works of art.
Build Self Esteem
Through the process of creating a craft project, a child works through a series of steps to make a masterpiece. The success of completing steps and having something wonderful to show for it has proven to build self esteem.
Create Community
Many craft projects that are done by kids in classrooms or groups collectively create a larger work of art. For example. When a group of kids create individual pumpkin crafts – once put together they have a patch. This creates community and inclusion. If all of the kids in a group made a dot paint pumpkin then turned it into a patch – that would be great community building.
Build Social Skills
While actively crafting, often times the fears and worries of talking with others subsides and children (of all ages) find themselves to be more social with those around them,
Promotes Individuality
Craft projects should allow children the opportunity to put their own style or mark into their work. There need to be choices available to successfully promote individuality. Some of these choices include picking colors, crayons vs colored pencils, cutting vs tearing paper and outlining.
Encourages Self Expression
Often times children will express their feelings and thoughts through simple drawing and works of art. Encouraging kids to draw in their journals and add their own elements to projects sometimes offers a release of feelings.
Sharing is Caring! Too busy to make this right away?! Pin it for later! Pin this project to your favorite craft board on Pinterest and it’ll be waiting for you when you’re ready.
I would really love to hear what you think about this kid dot art pumpkin art project! If you try it out, I would sure like to see it! Share on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest! #LauraKellyDesigns
XO,
Laura