Ask Ollie
Pumpkin Goo Sensory Scoop
Here's one to try together!
Dive into a cold, slimy, stringy pumpkin and tell Ollie every squishy thing you feel!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- sharp knife used to cut pumpkin lid, adult only
- raw and roasted pumpkin seeds are a choking risk for children under 4: keep seeds out of little mouths, and roasted seeds are a snack for ages 4 and up
- hot oven when roasting seeds, adult only
- possible food allergy to pumpkin seeds if eaten
What you need
- Painter's tape, a few strips (optional)
- Water, for rinsing seeds
- Pumpkin, 1
- Knife, 1 sharp, for a grown-up
- Towel, 2
- Bowl, 1 big
- Spoon, 1 big
- Colander, 1
- Zip bag, 1
- Baking sheet, 1, for roasting seeds (optional)
- Oven mitts, 1 pair (optional)
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Cut a lid off the pumpkin yourself with a sharp knife. Keep seeds away from children under 4, who can choke on them, and use the sealed bag version for little ones. If roasting seeds later, you do the oven part.
- A grown-up preheats the oven to 300°F. A grown-up does this
- Watch a grown-up cut the lid off the pumpkin. A grown-up does thisAsk: What do you think is hiding inside?
- Roll up your sleeves and get your hands ready.
- Scoop the goo and seeds into the bowl.
- Say out loud how the goo feels. Ask: Is it cold, slimy, stringy or squishy?
- Pick the seeds out of the goo.
- Rinse the seeds in the colander.
- Seal some goo in a bag, tape it down and squish.
- Bake at 300°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden. A grown-up does thisAsk: What do you think they will feel like once they are hot and crunchy?
- Now scoop another pumpkin or share your goo words! How many textures can you name?
Play it again
- Texture words: take turns finding a new word for how the goo feels.
- Seed count: guess how many seeds are in one handful, then count.
- Goo painting: squish goo through a bag and draw shapes with a fingertip.
Kids loved this? There are more where it came from.
Get 3 free ideas a dayTurn "I'm bored" into "let's do something together!" 3 free ideas a day, picked for your kids.