Pumpkin carving has traditionally been a pivotal part of Halloween, but it's also kind of a mess. Goop and seeds get everywhere, it's hard to get the different carving designs right, and, if the kids are helping out, those sharp pumpkin carving knives are definitely not a match for little hands. Luckily, it's totally possible to make Halloween pumpkins that look festive and cute without ever needing to cut into one. People are channeling their creativity and crafting skills into designing inventive no-carve pumpkins, and their ideas are so charming they might just put an end to pumpkin carving for good.
When most people think of a no-carve pumpkin, they likely picture a boring pumpkin covered in tempera paint and glitter glue. Well, move over no-carve pumpkins of yesteryear. The pumpkins on this list incorporate cute Halloween characters like mummies, funky patterns, and colors — there's even Disney princesses. The best part is all of them can be made easily with things found at a craft store.
A no-carve pumpkin night is the perfect way to get the family together and participate in a fun activity without the stress of trying to become an instant pumpkin sculptor. Plus, there's no time wasted baking pumpkin seeds the toddler is definitely going to refuse or having to clean up a table full of pumpkin sludge when it's all said and done. Click through to check out 20 creative no-carve pumpkin ideas to try this Halloween. Don't be surprised if they all look too cute to skip!
DIY Festive Wax Pumpkins
These chic pumpkins are made with a coat of paint and some melted crayon. HGTV Canada shared a handy DIY video to show how to melt the wax. All it takes is a hair dryer!
Mummy Pumpkins
Mummy pumpkins are no-carve and they'll be a huge hit with the kids. Allison of the Dream A Little Bigger blog put together a quick no-carve mummy pumpkin tutorial to show how they're done.
'Stranger Things' Pumpkins
Lego Pumpkins
Lego people are perfect for any season, and Handmade Charlotte has an super easy how-to for recreating these Lego pumpkins at home on the fly.
Sequins Pumpkin
Sequins and craft glue are all it takes to pull of this elegant pumpkin that's ready for a party. Go all black or alternate strips of white and gold to make it extra festive.
Galaxy Pumpkin
Black and neon paints combine for this out-of-this-world no-carve look. The swirls can be made with simple swirling brush strokes, or use a sponge or cotton ball to dab the paint on for a more ethereal look.
Decou-Pumpkin
Mod Podge plus old magazines or wrapping paper are all that's needed to create a striking decoupage pumpkin. Ripped out pages from a scary ghost story would make this one chic and on-theme.
Unicorn Pumpkins
These magical unicorns started out as white pumpkins before Make Me Crafty transformed them. Check out the easy video tutorial to DIY one.
Mermaid Pumpkins
Make Me Crafty doesn't just specialize in unicorns. It also made a quickie tutorial on these stunning no-carve mermaid pumpkins that are almost too pretty to believe!
Disney Princess Pumpkins
These Disney princess pumpkins by Stephanie of Deliberately Creative are a stunning and creative way to incorporate some Disney magic into Halloween. Her easy YouTube tutorial shows how to make Elsa from Frozen but the tips can be applied for any princess.
Glitter Pumpkins
What's a quick way to make a pumpkin look chic and stylish? Cover it in glue and sprinkle on a ton of glitter. So simple and so stunning!
Patterned Pumpkins
Pumpkins can be decorated with beans, painted pasta, and other pantry finds to make cute and chic home decor. These would make a great centerpiece for Thanksgiving, too!
Chalkboard Pumpkin
Chalkboard paint isn't just for walls. Use it to paint pumpkins so kids can draw faces, practice their handwriting, and create fun Halloween drawings.
'Caramel Apple' Pumpkins
Disguise pumpkins as another fall favorite — caramel apples. These use paint, peanuts, and sprinkles to get the true caramel apple look.
Cactus Pumpkins
A little green paint and a fake flower is all it takes to go from pumpkin to cartoonish cactus. These adorable pumpkins will have trick-or-treaters doing a double take.
Handprint Pumpkin
A fake pumpkin is the perfect canvas for a memorable keepsake to remember a baby's first Halloween. It can be pulled out year after year as sentimental Halloween decor.
Metallic Pumpkins
It doesn't get easier than a few coats of spray paint. Metallic pumpkins are so easy yet the look super stylish.
Chalk Pen Pumpkin
Chalk and paint pens are a great alternative to paint and paintbrushes. They're less messy, they dry faster, and kids can go wild drawing anything they want.
Plaid Pumpkins
Plaid pumpkins are festive and stylish, and they actually aren't that hard to make. Country Sampler Magazine posted a helpful tutorial video on YouTube that shows how it's done.
Sponge-Painted Pumpkins
Sponge paint is an easy way to get a Jackson Pollock-style speckled look with less mess, and it can be done in any color combination!
