The Pumpkin Girl: An Iranian Folktale Draw Along for Kids This Pumpkin Season (Plus a Free Coloring Page!)
Pumpkin season is here! 🎃 Kids everywhere are scooping out slippery pumpkin goop and carving jack-o'-lantern grins. But what if you peeked inside your pumpkin and found… a little girl? That's the wonderfully wacky question at the heart of this week's episode of The Fairy Tale Art Cart: The Pumpkin Child, a folktale from Iran.
A farmer and his wife have chickens, goats, a sunny window and a garden they adore. The only thing missing is a child. When their long-wished-for daughter arrives, she soon turns into a round, orange, bumpy pumpkin with a green top, and she goes bumpity-bump through the village in her twirly homemade dresses. Some villagers point and laugh, but she calls out "Laugh if you like!" and keeps right on rolling, spinning and having fun. It's a joyful, giggly story about courage, friendship and taking the time to get to know who someone really is on the inside, which makes it a sweet way to talk with your kids about kindness this fall.
And because this is a draw along podcast for kids, your little ones don't just listen. They become the illustrators!
Across four music-filled drawing breaks, kids draw the pumpkin baby in her cradle, the pumpkin girl rolling and twirling through the hills, a mysterious ring with a round stone, and a big moment in front of the whole town. All you need is paper and coloring materials, which makes it a perfect screen-free activity for quiet time, a chilly afternoon, or the stretch before dinner when you need a few minutes to get things done.
Screen-free art activity for kids: Dress Up Your Pumpkin Friend!
After the episode, hand your kids a small pumpkin (or an orange balloon, or a paper-plate pumpkin) and invite them to design a one-of-a-kind outfit for their own pumpkin pal. Scraps of fabric, tissue paper, yarn, stickers and buttons all make fabulous frills. Just like the pumpkin girl's mama, they can make a twirly dress, a fancy hat or even a tiny ring!
Then the big question: What is YOUR pumpkin friend like on the inside? Have kids draw a "heart portrait" showing what their pumpkin loves to do, what makes them brave and what makes them laugh. It's easy to set up, works beautifully as independent play, and keeps the story's message rolling. Bumpity bump!
Free Coloring Page!
Download The Pumpkin Child coloring page, a scene from the story your kids can color while they listen or save for quiet drawing time. → CLICK HERE FOR COLORING PAGE
Listen + Subscribe
The Pumpkin Child is out now wherever you listen to podcasts (including Yoto)! Hit play, grab some paper and let your kids draw along. Then subscribe to The Fairy Tale Art Cart so you never miss a new folktale from around the world, and if your family loves it, leave a review to help other creative families find us.
Laugh if you like… we're off to roll down the hills! 🎃✨