Pumpkin carving! It’s a messy, fun and creative Halloween activity. These plump gourds can be used as a charming autumnal decoration, or to scare the bejeebers out of your neighbours.
Whatever your pumpkin's purpose, you’ll find all of the best pumpkin carving ideas right here. Spooky, sensational, charming or cutesy – there’s a pumpkin for all styles.
The fabulous thing about a pumpkin is you can carve anything you want into it. The sky is your limit! However, with such a blank (or bumpy orange) canvas staring back at you, it can be tough to make a decision. That’s where we come in.
Firstly, you’ll need to hollow out your pumpkin. That’s where our pumpkin kits and tools guide will help you get the right equipment for the job.
Now it’s time to decide what to carve into your pumpkin. Will it be ghastly and horrid or silly and sweet? It’s time to decide with our frighteningly good round-up of pumpkin carving ideas.
31 pumpkin carving ideas for Halloween 2024
Easy pumpkin carving ideas
1. Tinkerbell pumpkin carving idea
This pumpkin carving looks so magical! Simply download the Tinkerbell template, and attach it to your pumpkin to trace it. Then you can start carving this beautiful design.
2. Honeycomb and bee pumpkin carving idea
This cute bumble bee pumpkin carving tutorial creates a buzz in your neighbourhood. Choose from a honeycomb or a bumble bee or combine both to personalise your pumpkin. Get the full tutorial and free stencil from BHG.
3. Boo pumpkin carving tutorial idea
If you love a bit of nostalgia, you’ll enjoy carving this Boo pumpkin. A loveable character from Mario World. It’s quite an easy one to carve, and you can follow along with Crafts with Ellen’s YouTube video.
4. Cat pumpkin carving ideas
If you want to go cutesy with your pumpkin carving try this lovely cat design from Handmade Charlotte. You’ll need a power drill to create the cat pattern and of course some pink paint!
5. Pumpkin carving tutorial and ideas
This helpful video tutorial from DaveHax shows you how to recreate five simple pumpkin carving designs, each with its own style. There’s two pumpkins with sharp teeth, one with square teeth and a cute dotted pumpkin.
6. Martha Stewart pumpkin owl
Martha Stewart has created this super easy design for a pumpkin owl that just about anyone can master. Just grab two pumpkins (one large for the body, and one smaller for the head) and use toothpicks to join the two together.
7. Skull Jack O’Lantern
If you're looking for a pumpkin design that's a bit different, experiment with different size pumpkins. We love this skull inside a Jack O' Lantern by Skull a Day!
8. Last-minute pumpkin carving idea
If you're looking for last-minute pumpkin carving inspiration, why not consider this easy design from Place of my Taste?
Their blog also has inspiration for painted pumpkins, decoupage pumpkins and even DIY brown paper pumpkins!
9. Pumpkin vase carving
This super-easy pumpkin carving idea would look great inside or outside the house, and only takes about an hour to make. Check out The Crafted Life to learn how to make this colourful pumpkin vase.
10. Black and white pumpkins
We love this contemporary pop art twist on the classic carved pumpkin. Visit Whippenberry for more easy black and white pumpkin carving ideas.
11. Drilled pumpkin carving
Do you have a power drill? If you are really pushed for time, then pumpkin carving using a drill is a really easy way to make memorable pumpkins. Have a look at One Little Project, where Debbie takes you through the steps for her easy drilled pumpkin tutorial.
12. Mini Fairy Garden pumpkin carving idea
Just wow! Sophie makes miniature outdoor garden worlds and her clever idea uses the inside of a pumpkin as a fairy house. Battery-powered fairy lights are a nice twist on the classic candle!
13. Spiderman mask pumpkin carving
It’s your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman (in pumpkin form). If you’d like to recreate this fun web-slinging pumpkin follow along with Rashmi's ABCD’s YouTube tutorial.
14. Pumpkin carving face with dry ice
This classic pumpkin carving is taken to the next level with dry ice. The spooky smoke eerily drifts out of the pumpkin's jagged facial features. Watch the full tutorial on YouTube.
15. Eyeball pumpkin tutorial
If you want to get extra creative this October, you’ll love these pumpkin carving ideas from HAXMAN on YouTube. In the line up you’ll find classic pumpkin faces, but also a pumpkin with a giant eyeball inside and even a pumpkin with large teeth and braces!
Find more carving ideas
Discover more creepy pumpkin faces with our Halloween round-up!
16. Perfect Halloween pumpkin carving
If you want to nail the original pumpkin carving style, this one's for you. This helpful YouTube video by Warren Nash will show you from start to finish how to create the perfect Halloween pumpkin. This includes scooping the inside to create clean cuts on the outside.
17. Luigi’s Mansion-inspired pumpkin carving
Nintendo has its own pumpkin carving tutorial on YouTube! They’ll show you how to carve two ghosts from the Luigi’s Mansion game.
The designs are super simple, and there’s a free template available to guide you.
18. Minions pumpkin carving
Another amazing pumpkin carving tutorial from Dave Hax on YouTube. This Minion pumpkin might look complex but when it’s broken down into steps it’s actually quite straightforward.
Your finished pumpkin looks great with a candle placed inside, as most of the light shines through the eye!
19. Dyed pumpkin carving idea
We love the idea of colourful pumpkins. Grab some white-coloured pumpkins, carve your pumpkin as you wish then submerge it in dye to create fun effects. The dye almost makes the pumpkins look fluorescent.
20. Pumpkin carving wine cooler
It doesn’t get cooler than this! This pumpkin ice bucket is both fun and practical. It would make a lovely Halloween table decoration if you are having an autumnal dinner party.
21. Stranger Things pumpkin carving idea
Stranger Things is the perfect theme for Halloween crafts! Carve the famous alphabet lights into your pumpkin from season one of Stranger Things.
Just beware if your lights begin to flicker!
22. VW camper van pumpkin carving idea
Are you a fan of all things retro? Try out this VW camper van pumpkin carving for a fun fall decoration. Follow along with this easy YouTube video and impress trick-or-treaters with your skills.
23. Leaf pumpkin carving
If you’d like your pumpkin to have a warm autumnal vibe to it then try these leafy pumpkins from Long Island Pulse.
They are simple to carve and there's a free stencil for you to download.
24. Ocean-themed pumpkin carving ideas
Dive into pumpkin carving with these creative ocean-themed projects! Choose from skeletal fish, a lantern fish and even a jellyfish. Get the free templates and tutorials over at NOAA.
25. Cactus pumpkin
Keep it simple with this cactus pumpkin carving idea from Muse Printables. Plus there’s a free stencil for you to use.
26. Raven pumpkin carving idea
A raven lurking in the dark is enough to give us the creeps! Give your guests and trick-or-treaters the same treatment with this wonderful raven pumpkin carving by Dot Com Woman. Free stencil included!
27. Witch pumpkin carving
Carve a cackling witch stirring her bubbling potion with this fun tutorial and free template from Pumpkin Carving Craze.
28. Pumpkin eating a pumpkin
This is a really fun twist on your classic pumpkin carving. Once you’ve finished carving the face of your larger pumpkin, pop a smaller one inside with a scared face and it’ll look like he’s been eaten alive! Spooky. Get the full tutorial over at BBC Good Food.
29. Moth pumpkin carving
Moths are certainly unusual, only coming out at night and fluttering to find light in the darkness.
Carve this eerily beautiful pumpkin with the help of Martha Stewart.
30. Harry Potter pumpkin carving idea
Celebrate the magic of Hogwarts with your pumpkins this year! Will you carve your House shield, the Golden Snitch or the sorting hat? Get the tutorials and templates over at The Wizarding World.
31. Cute ghost pumpkin carving idea
Carve your way to the cutest pumpkin in the neighbourhood with this lovely tutorial from HyVee. There’s also a free template for you to download!
Choose your design and get carving!
When choosing your pumpkin carving design you’ve got to decide whether you’d like it to be spooky or sweet. Do you want it to be easy enough for kids, or a ghoulish challenge impressive enough for a competition?
Get all the top pumpkin carving tips this Halloween
Grab your pumpkins, it’s time to carve! Get all the tips on creating scarily perfect pumpkins with our how to carve a pumpkin guide.
