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Home / Early Learning / Literacy / Name Activities with Colorful Pumpkin Seeds

Name Activities with Colorful Pumpkin Seeds

Shared by Mary Catherine 9 Comments

Welcome back to #PLAYfulpreschool! This week, we’re focused on a theme of nuts and seeds – be sure to check out the rest of the team’s ideas at the bottom of this post. I decided to share some name activities kids can try using pumpkin seeds!

Rainbow pumpkin seeds ready for preschool name activities

Related: Preschool Pumpkin Activities for a Pumpkin Theme

Table of Contents

    • Why name activities with pumpkin seeds?
    • Pumpkin seeds name activities
    • More pumpkin seed name activities for kids
    • More nuts & seeds ideas from the #PLAYfulpreschool team!
  • A Full Week of Pumpkin Lesson Plans
      • Get Your Copy

Why name activities with pumpkin seeds?

I’m a big believer in name activities in preschool. Children can learn so many concepts with their names, as well as with their friends’ names. Here are just some of the concepts I’ve used names to teach:

  • High frequency words
  • Letter identification
  • Letter sounds
  • Letter formation
  • Comparing and contrasting
  • Counting

Using the colorful pumpkin seeds adds a sense of novelty and provides a different sensory experience for the children as they learn their names. The vibrant colors grab kids’ attentions and let them explore math concepts (like sorting and patterning).

Name activities in preschool using pumpkin seeds

Related: Fall Cutting Strips

Pumpkin seeds name activities

I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Materials
Dry pumpkin seeds
Liquid watercolors
12″ x 18″ Construction paper
Glue
Sorting tray

Set up
Dye the pumpkin seeds a day or so before the activity. I placed some seeds in a plastic bag, added a few squirts of liquid watercolors, and then shook up the bag. Once the seeds were colored, I spread them on a paper towel to dry overnight. Sugar Aunts created colorful pumpkin seeds a different way, if you don’t happen to have liquid watercolors on hand. Once the pumpkin seeds were dry, I placed them in a segmented tray for the kiddos. The color was a bit splotchy because I used old salted pumpkin seeds – I think the colors would be more uniform if the seeds weren’t salted.

Cut the construction paper in half so you have 6″ x 18″ pieces. Write the children’s names on the construction paper, then invite the children over to create their names!

colorful pumpkin seeds ready for fall name activities

Related: Pumpkin Seed Slime

What we did
I invited the children over once everything was set up, and they were excited to get started! Honestly, a few were hovering as I set up so they got put to work making sure the seeds were all sorted by color. 🙂

The children traced over the first letter in their names using white glue. They then chose colorful pumpkin seeds to outline that letter. This continued until each letter in their names were outlined with the seeds. Some children chose one color to work with at a time, while others wanted a variety of colors! A few of the children even created patterns with different colored pumpkin seeds on their names!

Once all the kiddos have made a pumpkin seed name, we’ll have a super colorful display up around the classroom!

Colorful pumpkin seeds name activities for preschoolers

Related: Pumpkin Seed Activities

More pumpkin seed name activities for kids

I just couldn’t resist sharing two more name activities to try! Fantastic Fun and Learning used construction paper “seeds” and a crafty “pumpkin” for her activity. Suzy Homeschooler used real seeds like we did, but in a completely different way!

What are some of your favorite fall name activities for kids? Have you used pumpkin seeds before?

More nuts & seeds ideas from the #PLAYfulpreschool team!

Nuts to You!: Squirrel Feeder by Mom Inspired Life
Nuts and Seeds Theme: Listening Games with Sensory Sound Shakers for #PlayfulPreschool by The Preschool Toolbox Blog
Number Word Punch: Counting Nuts by Tiny Tots Adventures
Turkey Patterns with Pistashio Shells by Still Playing School
Seed and Letter Sensory Bin by Growing Book by Book
Growing Seeds by Learning 2 Walk
Exploring Chia Seeds by Powerful Mothering
Nutty Science–A Lesson in Buoyancy by Capri + 3
3 Fun Activities with Seeds for Preschoolers by Life Over C’s
Easy Sight Word Acorn Game by The Educators’ Spin On It
 

A Full Week of Pumpkin Lesson Plans

Continue learning about pumpkins with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme, and we’ve provide different versions for home preschool families and classroom teachers so all activities are geared directly toward your needs.

pumpkin-lesson-plans

Get Your Copy

Home Preschool Pumkin Theme Lesson Plans (in our shop or on TpT)

Preschool Classroom Pumpkin Theme Lesson Plans (in our shop or on TpT)

Rainbow pumpkin seeds name activities for kids to try today

Filed Under: Literacy Tagged With: #playfulpreschool, #TeachECE, Fall, Names, Pumpkins

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Comments

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  1. Devany says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:40 am

    I just love your rainbow pumpkin seeds!

    Reply
  2. Kim says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:43 am

    Your seeds are awesome!!!

    Reply
  3. Natasha says

    November 19, 2014 at 9:21 am

    Love the colored seeds! We’ve been working on our name and this would be so cool.

    Reply
  4. Theresa says

    November 19, 2014 at 9:59 am

    The pumpkin seeds are so vibrant. We will have to try that. I love how the letters came out using the seeds. Great idea!

    Reply
  5. Jodie @ Growing Book by Book says

    November 21, 2014 at 8:49 am

    What a fun idea! We have two pumpkins left so I think I know what we will do with the seeds!

    Reply
  6. Nicolette Roux says

    November 21, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    gorgeous! I love the colors. what a great name activity too

    Reply
  7. The Preschool Toolbox says

    November 23, 2014 at 10:59 pm

    This is a great sensory name activity! I’ve saved it to use next year…our readers loved it, too! Great use of colorful seeds to reinforce name recognition!

    Reply
  8. Riza says

    October 16, 2019 at 9:08 am

    So helpful, thanks!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 16, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      Glad to help! Please let me know how your kids like this idea if you try it!

      Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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