60+{No Carve} Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

Over 60 No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas that you will love. These amazing pumpkin decorating ideas are perfect for pumpkin decorating contests.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure policy to read more.  Adult supervision is required for each step of activities, recipes, crafts, and games with children. Small parts are a choking hazard.

No Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

If you are looking for Halloween Craft Ideas for your kids then you have come to the right place. I love Halloween, and I love sharing ideas. You might like my Painted BOO Pumpkin Idea, Olaf Goeas Trick-Or-Treating, or My Black Cat Painted Pumpkin

A lot of the ideas come from a school-wide Halloween event last. Families were asked to participate in a pumpkin-decorating contest. As I carried our pumpkin into the hallway, I was blown away by everyone’s creativity.

Of course, I took several photos to share. Unfortunately, there won’t be tutorials or links on how to decorate these pumpkins—only inspiration and ideas for you to check out. I’m sure you’ll be able to run with the ideas and come up with your pumpkin masterpiece.

Tips and tricks for working with painted pumpkins…

• Wash and dry pumpkins
• Using oil-based paints will help the paint stick longer – most spray paints are oil-based
• You can use a sealant after painting
• Glues that work well are hot glue (used by adults). For kids, Fabri-Tac glue works well. It is really tacky and dries quickly. Another glue alternative is large glue dots or double-sided sticky glue. They are both extremely sticky
• Don’t forget to protect your surface with a disposable plastic tarp or newspaper
• Glitter paint can be used to add a touch of sparkle. Use it over the base paint

Ideas for 3-D Decorations

• Foam Insulation Sealant – this product sprays out a foam that hardens almost immediately. You can spray it onto a surface like a pumpkin and then paint it, or spray it onto something that you can peel off later and paint
• Modeling Clay – This can be molded to the pumpkin, let harden, and paint. Glue if necessary

Let’s get started on these cute pumpkin ideas…

Update – I am always adding to this post. When I see new pumpkins I take pictures – no matter how weird I look to other people. So, don’t forget to check back each year for more and more no-carve pumpkin ideas to check out.

I recently updated this post to add more pumpkin ideas from a contest at our Orthodontist from October ’23. I had to take photos and share them with you.

Here are the latest non-painted pumpkin ideas:

Farm Animal Pumpkins

Farm Animal Pumpkins like cows, pigs, and birds. Find out more about Farm Animal Pumpkins.

Swarm of Bats Pumpkin

This bat swarm pumpkin is made from glitter ribbon tied into a knot with the edges cut at an angle with craft scissors.

Barbie Camper Pumpkin

This Barbie pumpkin is adorable. It is painted two tones with a metallic painted door and adhesive gems. The wheels are the round black parts from a set of headphones. The brick steps are sponges cut up and painted. The flag banner is made of felt.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Pumkins

It looks like faces were cut from posters, and a sealant like modge-podge was used to adhere them to white pumpkins. Pillows were stuffed into a Jersey and a glitter outfit. A wig was put over Taylor Swift’s pumpkin head.

Spa Day Pumpkin

A Dollar Store Bin was used as the tub with plastic play sink parts, cotton balls and a rubber ducky. The pumpkin was painted gray to represent a face mask with cucumber eyes. Finally, a towel is wrapped around the head.

Hot Air Balloon No-Carve Pumpkin

This hot air balloon pumpkin is resting on a metal stand. An old basket is used with twine and skeletons.

Harry Potter Pumpkin

This Harry Potter Pumpkin is painted white with green and black accents. The glasses are cut out of cardboard. Accessories are placed around it.

Trolls Pumpkin

This Trolls pumpkin is painted lavender with a shiny sealant. The glasses are made from cardboard with cellophane, and a wig is placed on top. I’m not sure what the nose is made from, but it could be from modeling clay.

Beetlejuice Pumpkin

This Beetlejuice pumpkin is painted white with a hand-painted face. Moss is used around the hair and face with spiders, a Beetlejuice wig, and costume accessories.

Up No-Carve Pumpkin

This Up No-Carve Pumpkin is hand-painted with cotton balls around the base. A cardboard roof is decorated with popsicle stick shingles. You can buy Balloon Cake Toppers to place in the cardboard chimney.

Captain Underpants Pumpkin

So cute! This Captain Underpants is a stacked pumpkin-painted beige with white at the very bottom, and black paint was used as facial accents and stitching. A red cape completes this cute pumpkin display.

Olaf Pumpkin

There are stacked white pumpkins that might be styrofoam. It looks like a black Sharpie was used on the face, and black electrical tape was used to wrap wire for the arms.

Hamburger Pumpkin

This hamburger pumpkin looks like a large flat pumpkin cut in half with pumpkin seeds glued to the outside. Felt pieces of red, brown, and green were used as hamburger parts. I think that is a yellow towel representing cheese.

High Voltage Pumpkin

This pumpkin is carved, but you don’t have to carve it. You could use paint to make the face. Push metal pieces into the top for hair and use a voltage reader to push into the sides.

Hocus Pocus Pumpkin

Winifred Sanderson – Love this pumpkin idea. It looks like skin-toned paint was used and makeup was painted after. A red curly wig was used for the hair

Hocus Pocus Book Pumpkin

Another idea from Hocus Pocus – A Spellbook Pumpkin. I’m not positive, but the decorative pieces can be modeling clay or air-dry clay. I’ll leave a link to Amazon for something that might work at the bottom of the post

Scarecrow Pumpkin

This is an adorable Scarecrow Pumpkin. It looks like felt, burlap, flannel shirt, straw hat, straw, paint and buttons were used

Humpty Dumpty Pumpkin

Humpty Dumpty Pumpkin Idea – It looks like a magician hat, a cummerbund, red ribbon, googly eyes, fabric, and paint were all used for this pumpkin

Pineapple Pumpkin

Pineapple pumpkin idea – It looks like paint, sunglasses, and paper were used on this pumpkin. I see something metal in the leaves, but I have no idea what that is

Monster Pumpkin

Cupcake Monster pumpkin idea. I suppose the cupcake wrapper could be folded cardboard. I’m not 100% sure what material it is. Spider web material, spiders, bugs, and fun eyeball headband were all used for decorating the pumpkin

Stranger Things Pumpkin

Stranger Things Pumpkin Idea – It’s painted white, marker was used for the letters of the alphabet, Christmas lights, and Stranger Things decor

Little Shop of Horrors Plant Pumpkin

Little Shop of Horrors Pumpkin Idea – Wow! It looks like a trip to the floral section of Hobby Lobby or Michael’s Crafts store, a terra cotta pot, a sideways pumpkin painted black and green, and maybe modeling clay for the lips and teeth were all used on this iconic pumpkin

To save from attempting to lift the pumpkin on a pedestal, I think it would be just as cool resting in the clay pot

Geenie Pumpkin

The Genie from Aladdin Pumpkin Idea – Black yarn, yellow yarn, spider web material, modeling clay, paint, and a plastic oil lamp

Minion Pumpkin

Minion with Braces pumpkin idea – It looks like wooden shoes, felt, foil, mason jar lids, paint, buttons, and for the hair pip cleaner

Ice Cream Cone Pumpkin

An ice cream cone pumpkin idea – It looks like a plastic terra cotta pot was painted for the cone, the pumpkin has paint, pipe cleaners, a painted styrofoam ball cherry, and spider web material

Ice Cream Cone Pumpkin (2)

Ice Cream Cone Pumpkin Idea – Burlap, that might be spray foam sealant around the bottom and for the whipped cream, pipe cleaner sprinkles, and a mini pumpkin cherry

Witch Caldron Pumpkin

Witch Cauldron Pumpkin Idea – This one says Hocus Pocus, but you could leave that off if you just wanted to do a plain old witch. Pom-Poms, eyeballs, and do you think the silver balls are styrofoam? I’m not sure.

Alright, that ends my latest additions.

Below, Check out 30 more pumpkin ideas, and come back next year for more ideas!

Sonic the Hedgehog Pumpkin

Sonic The Hedgehog Painted Pumpkin 

Unicorn Pumpkin

Unicorn Pumpkin

Witch Pumpkin

Witch Pumpkin and Broom

Puffer Fish Pumpkin

Puffer Fish Pumpkin – This looks like it’s decorated with Hershey’s kisses, fortune cookies, rolos, and green candies

Mickey Mouse Pumpkin

Mickey Mouse Pumpkin – This would take some artistry from someone who likes to paint

Fox Pumpkin

Fox Pumpkin and Mice – It looks like felt was used to decorate the pumpkin and the mice were made from pom-poms.

Dancer Pumpkin

Crayon Pumpkin with Silhouette – I have seen these on Pinterest. I believe that crayons are placed on top of the pumpkin and a hair dryer is used to melt the crayons causing the wax to run down the pumpkin

Princess Pumpkin

Ariel Pumpkin – Blue paint to represent the ocean, glitter, beads and a crown

Pikachu Pumpkin

Pikachu Pumpkin – I believe that these were foam pumpkins that you can buy at most craft stores

My Little Pony Pumpkin

My Little Pony Pumpkin – Painted with yarn and card stock or craft foam paper

Cheeseburger Monster Pumpkin

Cheeseburger Pumpkin with monster fingers glued to the sides of the pumpkin – I believe the pumpkin is painted and seeds are glued to the top, and craft felt or foam and brown pom-poms are glued to the sides to represent cheese, lettuce, beef, and tomato

Caramel Apple Pumpkin

Candy Apple Pumpkin – Painted green and dark brown. While the paint is wet, sprinkles are added and a wooden dowel inserted in the middle

Don’t Let the Children Drive the Bus Pumpkin

Don’t Let the Children Drive the Bus – A book by Mo Williams – Painted Pumpkin. Styofoam head and paper towel roll neck

This pumpkin is painted light blue with paper plate wings, paper towel tube neck, and styrofoam ball head. Paper eyes and beak were added as well as a prop for the bus

Old Lady Pumpkin

Little Old Lady Pumpkin – Fiber Fill for hair, rollers, hair band, glasses, foil eyebrows, painted mouth and paper eyes

Owl Pumpkin

Owl Pumpkin – Felt cutouts glued onto pumpkin

Haunted Popcorn Pumpkin

Haunted Popcorn Pumpkin – black and white stripes, with cobwebs, popcorn and decorations

Dumbo Pumpkin

Dumbo Painted Pumpkin – painted with paper ears, and felt hat

Finding Nemo Pumpkin

Nemo Painted Pumpkin with glitter paper fins

Dinosaur Pumpkin

Dinosaur Hatching Painted Pumpkin – with a dinosaur toy disassembled and then glued to the pumpkin

Popcorn Bucket Pumkin

Popcorn Bowl Painted Pumpkin – with popcorn glued to the top

Haunted House Pumpkin

Haunted Fairy House Pumpkin

Forky Pumpkin

Forky (or Sporky) Painted Pumpkin – playdough mouth and eyebrow, googly eyes, pipe cleaner arms

Harry Potter Pumpkin

Harry Potter Painted Pumpkin – with scarf as a prop

Little Girl Pumpkin

Little Princess Girl Pumpkin

Rapunzel Pumpkin

Rapunzel Painted Pumpkin

with beads, ribbon, wig and tutu

Mini Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkins

Dunkin’ Donut Pumpkins

Mini pumpkins painted with sprinkles

Cactus Pumpkin

Cactus Painted Pumpkin – toothpicks, flower and clay pot help set the stage for this fun pumpkin

Edwina the Dinosaur Pumpkin

Edwina the Dinosaur Painted Pumpkin – with craft foam

Cousin It Pumpkin

Cousin It – Yarn or even a mop would work for this pumpkin with glasses and a hat.

Dog Pumpkin

Dog Painted Pumpkin – I don’t know what material the ears are made from. Shredded paper is added for fur

Cinderella’s Coach Pumpkin

Cinderella Painted Pumpkin – Another Cinderella pumpkin was also entered into the contest. They added a toy carriage and plastic horses which won the little girls over. I have to give them credit for thinking that one through.

This pumpkin was made with metallic spray paint, pearl jewelry beads, silver pipe cleaner, and gold-colored paint

Dog Man Pumpkin

Technically, this pumpkin is a butternut squash, but it’s still so clever! This is Dog Man. He is a children’s book character. It looks like felt was stuffed and glued for the ears. The hat looks like blue fabric wrapped around an object and glued.

Caramel Apple Pumpkin

Caramel Apple Painted Pumpkin – This is painted with sprinkles, placed in tissue paper with a wooden dowel inserted in the middle

More Pumpkin Ideas You’ll Love

My top Amazon Picks for these fun Pumpkin Ideas

(affiliate links)

Great Stuff 157911 Insulati...Shop on Amazon200pcs 20colors, Pipe Clean...Shop on AmazonPolymer Clay 50 Colors, Mod...Shop on AmazonPolymer Clay 50 Colors, Mod...Shop on Amazon42pcs Felt Fabric Sheet 4"x...Shop on Amazon20 Acrylic Yarn Skeins - 43...Shop on Amazon20 Acrylic Yarn Skeins - 43...Shop on Amazon48PCS EVA Foam Sheets 1mm T...Shop on Amazon48PCS EVA Foam Sheets 1mm T...Shop on AmazonThe HC Companies Classic Po...Shop on AmazonBurlap Table Runners – 12...Shop on Amazon

That’s it, everyone. I hope you found some inspiration from the photos.

If you need further instructions, you can probably find similar pumpkins on Pinterest that will help you achieve the pumpkin you want.

Happy Halloween!