Cooking for kidsMaking a pumpkin lantern is great fun but it can be dangerous so you need to ensure an adult helps you with it.
But why do we make pumpkin lanterns? Traditionally Halloween was celebrated by many as the most magical night of the year. People used to place a lantern (usually made out of pumpkins or turnips) on their porches or in their windows to welcome home deceased loved ones but also to ward of evil spirits.
So let’s make our own pumpkin lantern. Now remember, not only are we using sharp knives to cut out the pumpkin but we’ll be using candles so make sure the children only do the parts you are comfortable with them doing and ensure that when the lantern is lit, that it is out of harm’s way and supervised at all times.
1) Get yourself a nice looking pumpkin
2) Carefully cut of the top of the pumpkin
3) Scoop out the stringy bits and the seeds
4) If you’re making pumpkin soup then you can scoop out the flesh of the pumpkin, making sure you don’t pierce the skin
5) You can now start to cut out bits of the pumpkin to make your face – the scarier looking the better!
6) Place a tea-light or small candle inside the pumpkin, light it and place it on your windowsill
