DIY Sugar Skull Pumpkin Inspired by Disney Pixar’s COCO

Sugar skulls are going to be HUGE this year! Disney Pixar’s latest movie, COCO (in theaters November 22nd) is about a young boy who dreams of becoming an accomplished musician and find himself magically transported to the colorful Land of the Dead. In the Mexican holiday, Dia de Los Muertos, sugar skulls are used to decorate the gravestones of the deceased. The artwork, in the film, is full of sugar skulls in the Land of the Dead scenes.

Check out the COCO artwork, in the official trailer:

I’ve got a fun Sugar Skull Pumpkin craft, inspired by COCO, and it’s the perfect opportunity to teach kids about the culture behind Dia de Los Muertos and get them excited about the new movie. This craft is great for ages 10 and up, with a little help from parents. After they’ve finished their sugar skull pumpkin, you can display it inside. We put ours on our mantel for the Halloween season!

Sugar Skull Pumpkin Craft Inspired by Disney Pixar’s COCO

What You Need (contains affiliate links):

• 1 Foam Craft Pumpkin
• Printable Sugar Skull Design (Click for link)
• Tape
• Black Pen
• Permanent Fine Tip Markers
• Glue Gun
• Assorted Silk Flowers

STEP ONE

Print out your sugar skull design on basic printing paper. Using scissors, make slits around the sugar skull. This will help the paper lie flat onto the pumpkin. Tape the paper onto the pumpkin. Using a black pen, trace the entire sugar skull design over the pumpkin while PRESSING FIRMLY. This will leave an imprint of the design on the foam pumpkin.

STEP TWO

Using a black permanent marker, color in the lines from the tracing you did in step one. Sitting in a well lit room will help make it easier.

STEP THREE

Use color markers to add color to your sugar skull. Feel free to make it as colorful as you want! Traditional Dia de Los Muertos colors are purple, pink, white, orange, red and yellow. Your sugar skull pumpkin can look like the art from COCO when you add color.

STEP FOUR

Parents: using a hot glue gun, attach assorted flowers around the top of the sugar skull. The flowers add a fun 3D effect to your pumpkin.