The Pumpkin Patch
Stillwater Pumpkin Patch at 524 N. Stallard is hosted by Stillwater Noon Lions and Highland Park United Methodist Church.
The place where you see pumpkins today has been part of the Stillwater community for many years!
THEN & NOW
Highland Park United Methodist Church began in 1960 with just 35 members. The church is still located at 524 N. Stallard Street. Over the years, the building and neighborhood have changed. The church also experienced a fire in 2007 and later rebuilt part of the building.
History Detective: Look at the pictures. What has changed? What has stayed the same?
In 2016, the Stillwater Noon Lions Club started the Pumpkin Patch as a fundraiser for community projects and scholarships. Each fall, the Lions Club and the church work together to bring the Pumpkin Patch to life.
So, when you visit the Pumpkin Patch, you are not just picking out a pumpkin, you are taking part in a Stillwater tradition that helps the community!
To learn more about Stillwater History visit the Stillwater History Museum. On the corner of 7th and Duncan.
P = PRETEND: Imagine you are a talking pumpkin. Use a scary voice to talk to the other pumpkins.
L = LAUGH: Make silly faces to show how you might make your jack-o-lantern look.
A = ASK: Where did the pumpkins grow, and how did they get to this pumpkin patch?
Y = YAY: Give your child high-fives for picking out the best pumpkin!
"I Spy" is a great activity for children of all ages. here are some ideas of things to find!
o How many hay bales can you count? What is hay used for on a farm?
o Do you see a scarecrow? How about a white pumpkin?
o I Spy a truck. What color is it?.
o Can you find the tiniest and the biggest pumpkins?
Touch pumpkins with different textures and describe how they feel—smooth, bumpy, big, and small.
Let babies sit near pumpkins and explore them safely with their hands.
Point out colors, shapes, and sounds.
As you walk or ride through the pumpkin patch, notice what catches their attention and stop to expore..
Sing simple pumpkin songs or make up a song about what you see.
Back at home:
Name the colors and textures of the pumpkins.
Give baby pureed pumpkin to taste and touch.
Read a book about pumpkins.
Ask your toddler which pumpkins that are big/little. Use new words to describe, like huge, tiny, etc.!
How many pumpkins can we find that are orange, green, white, or striped?
Count a few pumpkins together.
Let them help choose a pumpkin.
Compare pumpkins. Which ones have bumps, which one is the heaviest/light, etc.
Back at home:
Cut the pumpkin open and feel all the parts, even the squishy ones!
Put small pumpkins in a tub of water with soap and water and wash them.
Read a story about pumpkins.
Estimate how many pumpkins are in a row, then count them.
Compare pumpkins: Which is bigger? Which is heavier? Which is taller?
Talk about where pumpkins grow, the parts of a pumpkin (what is inside, stem, etc.).
Help them make up a story about a pumpkin at the patch.
Let them help plan which pumpkin to choose and explain their reasoning.
Back at home:
Help them weigh the pumpkins and compare which is the heaviest, lightest, etc.
After you cut open your pumpkin, can they guess how many seeds are inside?
Let the pumpkin decay (outside on the ground), and watch how it changes each day.
Extend your pumpkin patch experience with pumpkin and fall harvest books from the Stillwater Public Library. Visit us at 1107 S Duck or browse a selection of picture books on the catalog here: https://librarian.syndetics.com/syndeticsunbound/lp/1024.1392/list/8627