Pumpkin carving kits are not only expensive, but are often flimsy and easy to break. Families with children have little to gain buying carving kits when it comes to safety and affordability. There are plenty of wonderful carving tools around the kitchen!
Cutting
- A long serrated bread knife – Bread knives work great for cutting off the top of the pumpkin. A bread knife is long enough to pierce the pumpkin flesh and the serrated edges help with the cutting.
- A steak knife – Steak knives are fantastic for cutting out large shapes, but beware: steak knives are not the best household tool for small detail work. Use discretion carving tight corners.
- A craft knife – Craft knives are best used for detail work. Just as craft knives are precise on paper, craft knives are precise in pumpkin carving.
Hole Punching
- A toothpick – Toothpicks are well geared toward poking small holes in patterns and can also double as support for flimsy carvings.
- A Nail – Nails are some of the toughest hole punching tools.
Pumpkin Cleaning
- A large serving spoon – Large spoons carve out pumpkin guts just as well as any purchased pumpkin kit scoop. Spoons made of metal have extra durability, and strong edges for carving out all the pumpkin fibers and seeds.
- An ice cream scoop – Ice scream scoops work like spoons, but have even more durability.
Disposal
- A large bowl – Large bowls are often dishwasher safe and keep all the nasty pumpkin goo in a convenient location that is not all over your floor or table. Feel free to still lay down newspaper as an extra precaution.
Lighting
- A candle – Candles are traditional in pumpkin lighting, but candles do occasionally lack in brightness. Feel free to add more candles inside your pumpkin if you’d like to keep with tradition.
- A small light – Singular lights can be purchased for illuminating pumpkins. Pumpkin Masters offers an assortment of options.
Kits in a nutshell
Kits are not all bad, and they were often a part of my carving experience as a kid. I loved the patterns and being able to pick out the kit I wanted, but again: the tools were flimsy, and something almost always broke. Pumpkin Masters kits are an old favorite; the patterns can last for years, and tool breaking is minimal.
Word to the Wise
Safety is always important, so please: Supervise your children at all times when carving. Please be willing to help your kids with the heavy-duty cutting; it will not only keep them safe, but also impress them with your superhuman pumpkin carving strength.
Happy Halloween and safe carving!