Bring Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White to life with 15 fun pumpkin crafts and activities for preschool and kindergarten! From pumpkin pie crafts to hands-on literacy activities, these Too Many Pumpkins crafts are perfect for extending storytime while exploring kindness, sharing, and all things fall.
Too Many Pumpkins Crafts
Looking for fun crafts and activities to pair with the popular fall picture book Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White? These easy pumpkin crafts, name activities, and hands-on learning ideas are perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary students.
From pumpkin pie crafts and colorful jack-o’-lanterns to fall alphabet games and pumpkin name activities, I’ve rounded up 15+ too many pumpkins crafts and activities that bring this sweet autumn story to life.
Whether you’re planning a pumpkin-themed classroom unit, fall storytime, or a fun afternoon of crafting at home, these activities are a wonderful way to extend the story while working on fine motor skills, letter recognition, creativity, and more.
About the Book: Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White, illustrated by Megan Lloyd, is one of my favorite books to pair with pumpkin crafts and fall activities for kids.
The story follows Rebecca Estelle, a woman who absolutely cannot stand pumpkins!
After a pumpkin accidentally lands in her yard, she decides to bury the mess and forget about it. But when spring arrives, an enormous pumpkin vine begins growing, eventually producing more pumpkins than she knows what to do with.
Faced with a yard full of pumpkins, Rebecca Estelle has to get creative.
She begins turning her unexpected harvest into all sorts of delicious pumpkin treats and eventually discovers that sharing with her neighbors can turn an unwanted problem into something wonderful.
It’s such a sweet story about kindness, generosity, problem-solving, and making the best of an unexpected situation.
I especially love using this book during fall because it opens the door to conversations about how pumpkins grow, what we can make with them, and why sharing with others is important.
Recommended Craft Supplies for Too Many Pumpkins Activities
One of my favorite things about these Too Many Pumpkins crafts and activities is that most of them use simple supplies you probably already have tucked away in your craft cupboard or classroom.
If you’re planning a pumpkin-themed storytime or fall crafting session, here are a few supplies I recommend having on hand:
- 🎃 Construction paper – Orange, brown, green, yellow, and red construction paper are perfect for making pumpkins, pumpkin pies, and colorful fall crafts.
- 🖨️ Printer – A reliable home or classroom printer makes it easy to print our free craft templates and printable learning activities.
- 📄 White cardstock – I love using cardstock instead of regular printer paper for crafts because it’s sturdier and holds up better to coloring, painting, and gluing.
- ✂️ Kid-friendly scissors – Great for practicing cutting skills while making pumpkin crafts and name activities.
- 🖍️ Crayons – A must-have for coloring pumpkin templates and adding little details to finished crafts.
- 🧴 Glue sticks – My go-to for preschool crafts, especially when little hands are working with paper pieces.
- 🎨 Washable tempera paint – Perfect for painting pumpkins and creating colorful stamped artwork.
- 🖌️ Paintbrushes and sponge brushes – Handy for all sorts of fall painting projects.
- 🌈 Tissue paper squares – Perfect for adding bright colors and texture to suncatchers and other fall crafts. Pre-cut squares are especially convenient when crafting with a group of preschoolers.
- 👀 Googly eyes – An easy way to give pumpkins and other seasonal crafts a little extra personality.
You definitely don’t need to buy everything on this list! Most of these activities can be made with basic supplies you already have at home or in your classroom.
15 Too Many Pumpkins Crafts and Activities
One of my favorite ways to extend a read-aloud is with a simple hands-on activity that connects directly to the story.
These Too Many Pumpkins activities are great for reinforcing important story themes while giving children opportunities to practice cutting, gluing, painting, counting, and early literacy skills.
1. Torn Paper Pumpkin Pie Craft
When Rebecca Estelle finds herself surrounded by pumpkins, she gets busy turning her enormous harvest into delicious homemade treats.
This torn paper pumpkin pie craft is a fun way to explore that part of the story!
Children use torn pieces of orange construction paper to fill in a pumpkin pie slice before adding the crust and a fluffy cotton ball for whipped cream.
It’s a wonderful fine motor activity for preschoolers and kindergarten students, and it creates the perfect opportunity to talk about how pumpkins can be used to make food.
Story connection: Ask children what they would bake if they had as many pumpkins as Rebecca Estelle. Would they make pumpkin pie, muffins, cookies, or something completely different?
2. Fingerprint Pumpkin Pie Craft
Rebecca Estelle spends plenty of time preparing pumpkin goodies to share with her neighbors, making this fingerprint pumpkin pie craft another adorable storytime activity.
Children use their fingertips to create the orange pumpkin filling before adding the finishing touches to their paper pie.
I love fingerprint crafts for younger children because they’re simple, hands-on, and encourage sensory exploration while strengthening fine motor skills.
Story connection: Talk about how Rebecca Estelle uses her pumpkins to make something special for other people. Ask children who they would share a homemade pumpkin pie with and why.
3. Apple Stamped Jack-O’-Lantern Craft
What would you do with an entire yard full of pumpkins?
You could turn some of them into jack-o’-lanterns!
This apple stamped jack-o’-lantern craft is a fun painting activity that lets children create their own little pumpkin patch.
Using an apple as a stamp, children make orange pumpkin shapes before adding stems, vines, and silly jack-o’-lantern faces.
Each pumpkin turns out a little differently, which makes the finished artwork especially cute.
Story connection: Invite children to imagine Rebecca Estelle decorating some of her pumpkins instead of cooking with them. How many different jack-o’-lantern faces could they create?
4. Paper Plate Pumpkin Craft
One of the most memorable parts of Too Many Pumpkins is watching Rebecca Estelle’s unwanted pumpkin plant grow into an enormous harvest.
This paper plate pumpkin craft is a fun way to celebrate all those pumpkins!
Children transform an ordinary paper plate into a bright orange pumpkin using simple craft supplies.
It’s an easy fall art project that works especially well with preschoolers and younger kindergarten students.
Story connection: After finishing their pumpkins, have children arrange their crafts together to create one enormous classroom pumpkin patch, just like the one that grows in Rebecca Estelle’s yard.
5. Fall Leaf Alphabet Matching Activity
Although Too Many Pumpkins is all about pumpkins, the story also provides a wonderful opportunity to talk about the changing seasons.
Rebecca Estelle’s pumpkin vine grows throughout the warmer months, and by fall, her yard is overflowing with pumpkins.
This fall leaf alphabet matching activity is a fun way to connect the autumn setting of the story with early literacy practice.
Children match uppercase and lowercase letters using colorful fall leaf cards.
It’s perfect for literacy centers, morning tubs, small-group instruction, or quiet learning time at home.
Story connection: Talk about the signs of fall in Rebecca Estelle’s yard. What happens to the leaves? How do we know when pumpkins are ready to harvest?
6. Torn Paper Fall Tree Craft
As Rebecca Estelle’s pumpkins grow and the seasons change, fall eventually arrives.
This torn paper fall tree craft is a colorful way to explore the autumn setting of the story.
Children tear construction paper into small pieces to create beautiful fall foliage.
The tearing and gluing process is excellent for strengthening little hand muscles, and each finished tree looks completely unique.
Story connection: Encourage children to imagine what Rebecca Estelle’s yard looks like when her pumpkins are finally ready. What colors would they see on the trees? Would there be leaves scattered among the pumpkins?
7. Pumpkin Pie Name Craft
One of the sweetest messages in Too Many Pumpkins is that sharing can bring people together.
This pumpkin pie name craft combines that message with a fun name recognition activity.
Children create an adorable pumpkin pie while practicing the letters in their names.
It’s a great choice for preschool and kindergarten classrooms, especially during fall literacy units.
Story connection: Pretend the children are helping Rebecca Estelle prepare pumpkin pies for her neighbors. Have each child make a personalized pumpkin pie that they could give to someone special.
8. Pumpkin Wagon Name Craft
Imagine having so many pumpkins growing in your yard that you need a wagon to move them all!
That’s exactly the kind of problem Rebecca Estelle faces when her pumpkin patch produces an enormous harvest.
This pumpkin wagon name craft is one of my favorite fall name activities because it combines pumpkin fun with meaningful early literacy practice.
Children create a wagon filled with pumpkins while working on letter recognition, name spelling, and sequencing.
Story connection: Ask children how they would collect and transport all the pumpkins in Rebecca Estelle’s yard. Would they use a wagon, wheelbarrow, or something else? Then have them imagine loading their own pumpkin wagon to help with the harvest.
9. Pumpkin Name Craft
Rebecca Estelle ends up with more pumpkins than she ever imagined, making this pumpkin name craft another fun activity to pair with the story.
Children create their own personalized pumpkin while practicing the letters that make up their names.
This is a great way to combine a seasonal craft with important preschool and kindergarten literacy skills.
Story connection: Invite children to imagine that Rebecca Estelle has asked them to help organize her pumpkin harvest. Each child can make a pumpkin with their name on it to add to a classroom pumpkin patch.
10. Pumpkin Pie Paper Plate Craft
What better way to celebrate Rebecca Estelle’s delicious pumpkin creations than by making another pumpkin pie?
This pumpkin pie paper plate craft is a simple fall art project that turns an everyday paper plate into a pretend pumpkin pie.
It’s a fun option for children who enjoy imaginative play and hands-on crafting.
You could even display the finished pies in a pretend classroom bakery!
Story connection: Talk about how Rebecca Estelle turns a problem into an opportunity to help others. Ask children how making food for friends and neighbors can be a way of showing kindness.
11. Paper Bag Pumpkin Craft
In Too Many Pumpkins, Rebecca Estelle discovers that one tiny pumpkin problem can turn into an enormous pumpkin patch.
This paper bag pumpkin craft is a fun way for children to make their own pumpkins using simple supplies.
It’s a great activity for fall classroom crafting, and the finished pumpkins can be used to create an adorable pumpkin patch display.
Story connection: Encourage children to pretend they’re harvesting pumpkins from Rebecca Estelle’s garden. Once everyone has finished, gather the pumpkins together and talk about just how big a harvest can become.
12. Easy Pumpkin Craft
Sometimes the simplest activities are the best, especially when you’re working with younger preschoolers.
This easy pumpkin craft is a fun, approachable way for little learners to create a pumpkin of their own.
It’s a great choice for a fall craft station or a quick follow-up activity after reading Too Many Pumpkins aloud.
Story connection: Ask children what they think Rebecca Estelle could do with all her pumpkins. Encourage them to brainstorm as many ideas as possible before making their own pumpkin craft.
13. Jack-O’-Lantern Craft
Although Rebecca Estelle focuses on finding useful ways to deal with her enormous pumpkin harvest, decorating pumpkins is another fun way to enjoy them.
This jack-o’-lantern craft lets children get creative while making their own cheerful pumpkin faces.
It’s a fun addition to a pumpkin-themed art center and a great way to encourage imagination and self-expression.
Story connection: Have children pretend they’re helping Rebecca Estelle decorate pumpkins to welcome her neighbors. Would their jack-o’-lanterns look happy, silly, surprised, or spooky?
14. Halloween Candy Name Craft
At the end of Too Many Pumpkins, Rebecca Estelle discovers the joy of welcoming her neighbors and sharing what she has.
This Halloween candy name craft offers a playful way to connect the story’s message of generosity with a festive fall name activity.
Children practice spelling their names while creating a colorful Halloween-themed craft.
It’s a fun literacy activity for preschoolers and kindergarten students, especially during October.
Story connection: Talk about how Rebecca Estelle makes her neighbors feel welcome by sharing her pumpkin treats. Ask children about other ways we can show generosity, such as sharing a treat, helping a friend, or making something for someone else.
15. Halloween Pumpkin Suncatcher Craft
One of the loveliest things about Too Many Pumpkins is how Rebecca Estelle transforms something she doesn’t want into something that brings happiness to others.
These Halloween suncatchers include a pumpkin design that’s perfect for extending the story.
Children create colorful pumpkin suncatchers that look beautiful hanging in a sunny classroom or home window.
I especially love this activity because the finished pumpkins make such cheerful fall decorations.
Story connection: Invite children to imagine decorating Rebecca Estelle’s windows with bright pumpkin suncatchers to welcome her neighbors. Talk about how simple decorations and thoughtful gestures can make other people smile.
More Ways to Extend Too Many Pumpkins Storytime
If you have a little extra time after reading the book and completing a craft, there are plenty of simple ways to continue exploring the story.
Here are a few of my favorite ideas:
- Create a classroom pumpkin patch: Display everyone’s completed pumpkin crafts together to recreate Rebecca Estelle’s enormous harvest.
- Count the pumpkins: Use paper pumpkins or pumpkin counters to practice counting, number recognition, and simple addition.
- Explore the pumpkin life cycle: Talk about how a pumpkin begins as a seed and grows into a vine, flower, and eventually a pumpkin.
- Set up a pretend pumpkin bakery: Let children pretend they’re baking and sharing pumpkin pies, muffins, and other treats.
- Practice acts of kindness: Encourage children to think of something they could make or do to brighten someone else’s day.
These simple extensions are a wonderful way to reinforce the story’s themes while supporting hands-on learning.
Too Many Pumpkins Discussion Questions
After reading Too Many Pumpkins, I love asking children a few simple questions to help them think about the story.
These are great for circle time, small-group discussions, or a quick conversation before starting a craft.
- Why didn’t Rebecca Estelle like pumpkins at the beginning of the story?
- What happened when a pumpkin landed in her yard?
- What grew in Rebecca Estelle’s garden?
- How did she feel when she discovered all those pumpkins?
- What did Rebecca Estelle decide to do with her pumpkin harvest?
- How did she share her pumpkins with other people?
- How did sharing change the way Rebecca Estelle felt?
- What would you do if your yard was suddenly filled with pumpkins?
- What is your favorite thing to make or eat with pumpkins?
- What can we learn from Rebecca Estelle about kindness and sharing?
For younger preschoolers, you can simplify the questions and encourage children to respond with a few words, gestures, or drawings.
Older children may enjoy retelling the story in their own words or explaining how Rebecca Estelle’s feelings change from the beginning to the end.
Why I Love Pairing Crafts With Too Many Pumpkins
There are so many reasons I love using Too Many Pumpkins during fall storytime.
First, it’s a fun seasonal book that naturally connects to pumpkins, gardening, cooking, and the changing seasons.
But what I love most is the message behind the story.
Rebecca Estelle begins with something she doesn’t want and eventually discovers that she can use it to bring happiness to the people around her.
It’s such a wonderful reminder that kindness and generosity can turn an unexpected situation into something special.
Pairing the book with simple crafts and activities gives children a chance to explore those ideas in a way that’s creative, memorable, and developmentally appropriate.
Whether you choose a pumpkin pie craft, a name recognition activity, or a colorful pumpkin suncatcher, I hope these Too Many Pumpkins crafts and activities help make your next fall storytime extra special!
Happy crafting!
