Want to give your kids' pumpkin to talk about? We are way ahead of the carve! Building a pumpkin platform takes engineering to a whole new level… literally. To begin this activity, talk with your child about what would make a good platform. Should it be wide at the bottom and skinny at the top? Or, skinny at the bottom and wide at the top? Why? Provoking these conversations will help your child think about complicated concepts and use their creativity to respond.
Once you're ready for the pumpkin challenge, start building! Use household materials to build a raised platform that will hold the biggest pumpkin possible. Can your platform hold only a tiny pumpkin? A decent sized squash? A monstrous gourd?
To help get you started, we've have put together one way to participate in the pumpkin challenge. But, we want to see what you come up with!
Are you up for the challenge? Let's begin!
Materials Needed
- Plastic Straws
- Cardboard
- Popsicle Sticks
Step One
Grab a square piece of cardboard and begin gluing one corner.
Step Two
Take a popsicle stick and glue the flat side diagonally to the cardboard piece.
Step Three
Repeat step 2 by gluing the right-hand corner directly across from the other popsicle stick. Also, add glue to the bottom of the first popsicle stick.
Step Four
Overlap the two popsicle sticks and push one down on top of the other so now they are glued together.
Step Five
Flip it to the other side and repeat steps 2-4. (To make it easier you can glue the popsicle sticks together first before gluing them to the cardboard.) Set aside.
Step Six
Grab another popsicle stick and place glue on both ends.
Step Seven
Place the base of the platform on top of the single popsicle stick so the ends are glued together. Now it will stand up firmly.
Step Eight
About an inch from the end of the platform, place glue. That is where the first plastic straw will go.
Step Nine
Repeat Step 8 with another straw placing them about an inch from one another.
Step Ten
Repeat steps 8-9 on the other side of the platform. Make sure all 4 straws are glued down well. Now, bend the ends so the platform can balance better!
Step Eleven
Place your pumpkin on top of the platform and see if your creation is strong enough to hold it!
This is just one way to build a pumpkin platform to balance the gourd. How would you build your own platform? Have you mastered the pumpkin challenge? Don't forget to tag us on social media so we can see your finished projects!
Leave a comment