Five Little Pumpkins--From a Trader Joe's Cereal Box

I made this last year as a home school preschool teaching tool to go along with two different Halloween-themed poems. It's made from construction paper and a Trader Joe's "Joe's O's" cereal box, turned on its side and inside out.

The pumpkins can be folded down one at a time--lots of fun for toddlers and preschoolers! The little witch is mounted on a Popsicle stick so that she can "ride by" in the first poem.


Here's what the back looks like--the long, skinny cardboard flaps anchor the pumpkins in place once they are folded down and back.

I use this little visual aid in conjunction with two fun Halloween poems for young children. The first is one that I remember from my own preschool days!

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sat on a fence,
and a witch came riding by (witch rides past the first 4 pumpkins).
"Oh, ho, ho, I'll take you home to make a pumpkin pie." (Fold down 5th pumpkin.)

Repeat with 4 little pumpkins, 3 little pumpkins, etc., folding down one pumpkin each time.

Final verse:
No little pumpkins sat on a fence,
and a witch came riding by,
"Oh boo-hoo! There are no more pumpkins, so I'll have no more pie!"

Five Little Pumpkins

Five little pumpkins sat on a gate.
The first one said, "It's getting late."
The second one said, "There are witches in the air."
The third one said, "But we don't care."
The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run!"
The fifth one said, "Isn't Halloween fun?!"
Then, "Whooooo" went the wind and out went the light.
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight. (Fold down pumpkins as you say this line.)


For more Halloween poems, songs, and finger plays (including several other poems starring 5 pumpkins), check out this great page.

Happy Halloween!