71 Fun and Easy No-Carve Pumpkin Ideas for Halloween
Updated: Jun. 27, 2022Whether you're going for a spooky, fabulous, or whimsical vibe this Halloween, we have the perfect pumpkin for you. No knives necessary!
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
No carving? No problem!
There’s no doubt that pumpkins are the official mascot of Halloween—from jack-o-lanterns to pumpkin patches, these round orange bad boys take the cake when it comes to spooky season traditions. And while carving pumpkins (either freehand or using templates) is certainly the classic way to go, there are just as many fun and festive pumpkin decorating ideas that require no carving whatsoever (and some include painting!). From pizzas to emojis to superheroes, a pumpkin can be transformed into pretty much anything. Bonus: it’s probably a whole lot easier (and a whole lot more fun) than you might expect.
Metallic-foil pumpkin
A little glitz and glam can make almost anything look sophisticated, and these gilded metallic-foil pumpkins are so gorgeous, people will think that you bought them to decorate your home for fall. After painting your faux pumpkins with chalky paint, coat each pumpkin with adhesive and press on a metallic foil sheet for the chicest DIY Halloween decoration.
Mickey Mouse pumpkin
From costumes to decorations, Halloween is the perfect time to do all things Disney. Attach two smaller craft pumpkins to a larger craft pumpkin using bamboo skewers to serve as ears. Paint on a face and form leaves out of polymer clay to complete this pumpkin decorating idea.
Beauty and the Beast pumpkin
It may be based on a tale as old as time, but this Beauty and the Beast pumpkin is definitely a new twist on a pumpkin decorating idea. After painting your craft pumpkin yellow and allowing time to dry, add glitter, rhinestone adhesives, and artificial red roses using adhesive. Not into the fear factor? These Disney Halloween movies aren’t too scary for the kids.
Stranger Things pumpkin
If you binge-watched every season of Stranger Things, you need this pumpkin in your life on Halloween (and maybe beyond). While the television series doesn’t feature all these Halloween monsters, it’s still spooky nonetheless. To recreate Joyce Byers’ Christmas-light Morse code, paint a foam pumpkin with the alphabet and affix colorful string lights once dry.
Monster pumpkin
Your little monsters will love making these little monster pumpkins. To make this frightfully fun craft for kids, you need mini pumpkins, craft paint, glue, gauze, and markers.
Emoji pumpkin
Recreate your favorite emoji on your pumpkin this Halloween season. All you need is yellow spray paint, craft felt, glue, and creativity to make your texting fave come to life.
Pizza pumpkin
Got a pizza lover and a pumpkin lover in your house? Look no further than the pizza pumpkin that would also make a fun Halloween party game. It’s a cinch to put together using a faux craft pumpkin, paint, and foam sheets. Customize with your favorite toppings for a kitsch pumpkin that you certainly won’t see everywhere.
Captain Marvel pumpkin
This Captain Marvel pumpkin is as awesome as the superhero it reps. Use masking tape and a printout to outline the shape of Captain Marvel’s suit. From there, color in using red and blue spray paint and gold craft vinyl.
Baby Groot pumpkin
I am Groot. If you’re a Guardians of the Galaxy fan, what more is there to say? Simply cover a craft pumpkin with brown tape, and draw on the wood-grain details. Use the green tape to add leaves at the top, and make eyes and a mouth with the black tape. These make for a fun outdoor Halloween decoration.
Lace pumpkin
These decoupaged lace pumpkins can work as a fall centerpiece—or even autumn wedding decor. All you have to do is cover the pumpkin with overlapping strips of lace, then layer that with the glue. If you’re looking for some decor that will come straight to your door, check out these Amazon Halloween decorations that are worth buying early.
Stack o’ pumpkins
To create this clever jack stack, you’ll need two different sized pumpkins (fresh or craft), black and white paint, hot glue, and a grapevine wreath. Remove the stem from the larger pumpkin, glue the grapevine wreath on top, and then glue the small pumpkin on top of the grapevine wreath. Paint and decorate.
Porg pumpkin
Chewbacca’s little sidekick in The Last Jedi comes to life on your front porch as a little porg pumpkin. To create your very own porg, paint your pumpkin gray, white, and orange. Next, paint a pair of wiggle eyes with a matte black to replicate the giant eyes of the adorable creature, and use a hot glue gun to secure them in place.
Poison apple pumpkin
Up the scare factor at your home with this poison apple pumpkin that provides an extra spooky surprise when the sun goes down: It glows in the dark! To achieve this effect, paint a craft pumpkin bright red, and then once it dries, drip oodles of glow-in-the-dark craft paint on top of it. Find out why we bob for apples.
Toy Story alien pumpkin
Bring the Toy Story aliens from the claw machine to your front porch this Halloween. Just paint a craft pumpkin lime green and fashion proper alien ears with matching lime green foam. Large wiggle eyes and a mouth made of black foam complete the look.
Woody and Buzz pumpkins
Calling all serious crafters: It’s time to show off your skills with this Woody and Buzz pumpkin combo. For this pumpkin decorating idea, it’s all about hand painting. Adding a toy sheriff’s badge on Woody is the icing on the pumpkin.
Monsters, Inc. pumpkin
Good ol’ Mike was everyone’s favorite serious monster in Monsters, Inc.—and now he can be your very own monster this Halloween. Paint a craft pumpkin lime green and once dry, hot glue a singular large googly eye, a black foam smile, and white mini pom-poms for teeth to complete the look.
Glitter unicorn pumpkin
To turn your pumpkin into a sparkly glitter unicorn, you’ll need a craft pumpkin, white spray paint, chunky and extra-fine white glitter, polymer clay, pink and white felt, glue, silk flowers, and a gray sharpie.
Cinderella’s carriage pumpkin
Bibbidi bobbidi boo! With the right supplies and a little Halloween magic, you can make this carriage fit for a Disney princess. Attach apples at the base of an oval pumpkin with toothpicks to act as wheels and paint a door and windows on both sides. Use the gold paint to add detail to the wheels and door, tie a red bow on top, and the transformation is complete!
Spider pumpkin
Sometimes the cutest pumpkin decorating ideas are the easiest to make. Insert four extra-long pipe cleaners on each side of the pumpkin then glue on eyes and a mouth made from black and white craft paper.
Winnie the Pooh pumpkin
Bring sweet, gentle Pooh Bear home for a visit without having to travel to the Thousand Acre Forest. After painting the bottom half of the craft pumpkin yellow, wrap red chenille around the top half of the pumpkin using a hot glue gun. Glue two yellow pom-poms on top to finish this honey-loving bear.
Glitter pumpkin
You can’t go wrong with a little—or a lot—of glitter. To recreate the striped look, use painter’s tape to section off the spots you don’t want to spray. Or for polka dots, use a dot stencil to paint in the circles. Or better yet, douse the whole pumpkin with glitter spray paint with ultimate glitz and glam.
Abstract-art pumpkin
Unleash your inner artist with this simple drip-art pumpkin. After painting a pumpkin white and allowing time to dry, drip one color at a time and let it dry slightly before you add the next to avoid muddling the colors.
Veggie-faced pumpkin
Head to the fridge to get what you need to create these goofy and meme-able pumpkins. Affix carrots, winter-squash slices, nuts, and more using toothpicks to create eyes, a nose, and eyebrows on your pumpkin face. Then use a knife to slice in a silly smile.
Flower-power pumpkin
Turn your pumpkin into a pretty, seasonally appropriate vase. Remove the top of the pumpkin, scoop out the middle, and place a wet piece of floral foam in the cavity. Use fall flowers like mums and ornamental cabbages to create a simple floral arrangement that will be the perfect focal point of a foyer or dining table.
Vanellope Von Schweetz pumpkin
Halloween is all about the candy, which makes this Vanellope von Schweetz–inspired pumpkin perfect for anyone—but especially for Wreck-It Ralph fans. After painting the craft pumpkin teal and allowing time to dry, hot glue plastic candies and ribbon to create the perfect pumpkin sugar rush.
Toilet-paper pumpkin
Yes, you read that right: These adorable pumpkins are made from toilet paper. Use any type of spare fabric—like dish towels, scarves, or T-shirts—to wrap around the rolls and give them a more pumpkin-shaped look. Tuck the excess fabric inside the center tub and pop in a twig.
Maleficent pumpkin
Sometimes it’s good to be bad, especially when you’re a Disney villain. To form the horns for this Maleficent pumpkin, you’ll need heavy gauge wire, black crepe paper, and electric tape. Attach them to a black craft pumpkin, and your pumpkin is ready to go.
Ribbon pumpkin
Here’s a good way to use up the stash of ribbon in your closet: Wrap it around a pumpkin! Mix and match ribbons, or use the same pattern and colors on the pumpkin.
Witch pumpkins
I’ll get you my pretty…and your little pumpkin, too! Make these cheery little pumpkin witches with inexpensive craft felt, ribbon, and mini pumpkins. Use black felt (or paper) to cut out jack-o’-lantern faces to create witches’ hats and affix them to the pumpkin using hot glue.
Edna and Jack-Jack pumpkins
Incredible is definitely the word to describe these pumpkins inspired by The Incredibles 2. After painting Edna and Jack-Jack’s faces onto either real or faux pumpkins, adorn them with store-bought wigs, a pair of glasses, and a mask to complete the look.
Nightmare Before Christmas pumpkin
Use a black diorama pumpkin and a set of Funko Pop figurines to bring this Jack and Sally Hill pumpkin to life. Adorn with glitter stock, yellow craft foam, and glue to create a stage for this scarily sweet Nightmare Before Christmas couple.
Steamboat Mickey pumpkin
All aboard, classic Disney lovers: you’ll absolutely adore this Steamboat Mickey pumpkin. The whole pumpkin is made with craft foam and paint. Start off with a black craft pumpkin and paint the bottom half gray. Cut circles out of black craft foam for the ears, and use round pieces of white craft foam for the buttons.
Orange Bird pumpkin
Time for some extreme Disney lover trivia: Orange Bird was introduced at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in the 1970s and can be spotted on merchandise through the park. Making it is a cinch with an orange craft pumpkin and foam. Just cut out the bird’s face, beak, and leaves from the foam and attach them with hot glue.
Riverdale pumpkin
If you’re a fan of Archie and the rest of the Riverdale crew, show off your show spirit with this simple Riverdale pumpkin that mimics a varsity letter. Paint a craft pumpkin bright yellow, and cut out an “R” from craft felt. If you think your kids will love this craft, wait until they see these easy DIY Halloween kids costumes.
Welcome-to-fall pumpkin
Nothing says sophistication quite like a neutral color palette. This black-and-white pumpkin decorating idea is easily made from craft foam pumpkins, matte white spray paint, black marker, and brown craft paint. Paint the pumpkin, and once it’s dry, use ready-made stencils or write your welcome message freehand.
Matte-finish pumpkin
Matte finish is often considered subtle and understated. However, it can be the center of attention when you pick the right color. Coat craft pumpkins in bold chalky spray paint and fun metallics for an unconventional Halloween look.
Tinker Bell pumpkin
A little fairy dust—er, glitter—is all it takes to create this Tinker Bell pumpkin. Use gold glitter spray paint to give the pumpkin an iridescent glow before ironing on iridescent cellophane between two pieces of parchment paper, cutting out your wings, and attaching with hot glue. Large pom-poms form the feet and complete the pumpkin fairy.
Rose-gold and black pumpkins
Rose gold continues to dominate everything from fashion to home accessories, so why not extend the trend to your pumpkins? Using rose-gold spray paint on real or craft pumpkins makes this super easy. For a truly stunning effect, pair them with contrasting pumpkins spray-painted black.
Teal pumpkin
The Teal Pumpkin Project is a godsend for kids with food allergies. It’s a sign that a house will offer treats that are suitable for trick-or-treaters who have food allergies. Make one by painting a real or faux pumpkin in teal.
Clown pumpkin
For those who want something a little scarier this Halloween, this one will be sure to keep timid trick-or-treater’s off your front porch. All it takes is some red, black, and white paint, some tissue paper for hair, and a whole lot of patience. Would you rather smile than scream? Check out these Halloween riddles.
Mummy pumpkin
All you need for this simple idea is just some toilet paper or gauze to wrap around either a real or faux pumpkin. You can also pick up some googly eyes instead of using paint.
Minion pumpkin
The great part about decorating minion pumpkins is that you can never have too many–the more Minions, the merrier! Use yellow, blue, and white paint to create these adorable little creatures. Add a pair of toy goggles to complete the look.
Cotton candy pumpkin
You probably rarely think of a color as soft as this one when it comes to fall, but pink and white make a subtle decoration while still being festive.
Blacklight pumpkin
Everything gets spookier when the lights go down—and the same goes for pumpkins, especially when they’re decorated using glow-in-the-dark paint. Spray paint either a real or faux pumpkin white before using neon glow-in-the-dark fabric paint to draw on spooky skeleton designs. Shine a black light on your dried pumpkins once the sun goes down to create the full effect.
Spa day pumpkins
Even pumpkins desire some “me time.” Help them get there with this creative no-carve pumpkin painting idea. Use pale green paint to draw a face mask on your pumpkin. Top it off with a wrapped towel and add some cucumbers for an extra relaxing twist.
Troll pumpkins
You’re certainly going to want to take these pumpkins on a Trolls World Tour! After spray painting your pumpkin pink or blue and allowing time to dry, hot glue pink or blue faux fur to the top of the pumpkin in a straight line to form the troll’s hair. To make the troll’s adorable smiling face, use craft foam, googly eyes, and a black marker.
Distressed pumpkins
If you would describe your aesthetic as rustic, this is the pumpkin decorating idea for you. Cover a faux pumpkin in a layer of tacky glue and then apply a layer of paint. Once the paint dries, crackles will automatically appear. To add dimension, add watered-down brown paint and real branch pieces as stems.
Olaf pumpkin
This is one pumpkin that loves warm hugs. Paint two either real or faux pumpkins white. Once dry, hot glue craft foam, pom-poms, googly eyes, and brown pipe-cleaners to form Olaf’s eyes, nose, mouth, arms, and hair. Finish it off by gluing the two pumpkins together to complete the pumpkin snowman.
Monogram pumpkin
It doesn’t get more classic than this monogram pumpkin decorating idea. Use a word processor program to create a monogram and print. Place a piece of transfer/graphite paper beneath the printed monogram and tape both to the pumpkin. Trace the monogram onto the pumpkin and fill it in with paint.
Farm pumpkin
Old MacDonald had a farm…and this farm was on a pumpkin. After spray painting a real or faux pumpkin green and allowing time to dry, hot glue on a toy fence around the perimeter of the pumpkin and toy animals to the top. Pumpkin-picking is one of the most fun and wholesome fall activities there is.
Frozen pumpkin
It’s time to “let it go” with this Frozen-inspired pumpkin. All you need for this chilly no-carve pumpkin painting idea is glittery spray paint, rhinestone adhesives, and a play tiara. Once spray painted, decorate the pumpkin with rhinestone adhesives before adding a tiara on top with hot glue.
Twine pumpkin
First, paint the faux pumpkin with acrylic paint the same color as your twine. Once dry, start wrapping twine around the pumpkin and use hot glue to secure it. Paint the twine at the very top green to form the stem. Next, it’s time to dress up your feline friend in the best cat costumes for Halloween.
