Dinosaur Pumpkin Carving Stencils
Free, simple dinosaur stencils for your jack-o'-lantern. Tap one, choose your pumpkin size, print and carve your favorite T-Rex or Stegosaurus.
- ✓Free, no sign-up
- ✓Carve-checked
- ✓Prints to fit your pumpkin
- ✓Step-by-step carving mode
Easy: a few big shapes, kids 6+ help, about 20 min. Medium: more parts, ages 10+, about 45 min. The pictures of carved pumpkins are AI-made examples.
All 9 dinosaur stencils as one PDF: US Letter · A4
Make Your Own Jack-o'-Lantern Face
Pick eyes, a nose and a mouth. Every mix is carve-checked: the parts always stay at least ⅝ in (15 mm) apart, so nothing breaks or falls out.
Every stencil prints at the right size for your pumpkin, with numbers that show the carving order.
How to Carve a Dinosaur Pumpkin with a Stencil
- Pick a stencil and your pumpkin size. We scale the print so the dinosaur fits the smooth front of your pumpkin.
- Open and scoop the pumpkin. Cut the lid in the back, not on top. Scrape the front wall to about 1 in (2.5 cm) thick.
- Tape the stencil on. Small snips in the paper edge help it lie flat on the round pumpkin.
- Poke the outline. Push a pin tool through the lines about every ⅛ in (3 mm). Take the paper off and connect the dots with a marker.
- Carve in number order. Adults should handle the saws. The numbers on the sheet show the order: small parts first, the big shape last. Saw straight in.
- Light it up. An LED tea light is bright and safe. A dinosaur silhouette shows best in front of a glowing moon.
Carving with a phone next to you? Open a stencil and tap Carve along. Your phone shows one piece at a time and the screen stays on. Too young for a saw? Kids under 6 can poke the dots, or tap Color it and color the dinosaur online.
Moon Window, Silhouette or Dino Face?
Moon window
A big round moon glows and the dinosaur stays as dark pumpkin skin. It looks amazing from the street.
Silhouette
The whole dinosaur glows. You cut only a few big shapes, so it is the easiest kind to carve with kids.
Dino face
Eyes, nose and teeth go right on the pumpkin. The pumpkin becomes the dinosaur's head.
Measure your pumpkin from the bottom to the stem before you print, so the stencil fits the smooth front.
What Size Stencil Fits My Pumpkin?
The stencil should cover about two thirds of your pumpkin's height. Every stencil here is checked at each size: if a bridge would get too thin, that size is not offered.
| Pumpkin height | Stencil size | Stencils that fit |
|---|---|---|
| Small: about 8 in | 5.1 in | 8 of 9 |
| Medium: about 10 in | 6.4 in | 9 of 9 |
| Large: about 12 in | 6.7 in | 9 of 9 |
| Giant: 13 in and up | 6.7 in (one sheet) | 9 of 9 |
Most carving problems come from thin bridges, a soft pumpkin or a stencil that is too big.
Questions and Answers
How do I put a dinosaur stencil on a pumpkin?
Print the stencil at the size for your pumpkin and tape it to the smooth front. Push a pin tool or a thumbtack through the lines about every ⅛ inch (3 mm). Take the paper off and connect the dots with a washable marker. Then carve along the dotted lines in number order.
Why did a piece fall out of my pumpkin?
A piece of pumpkin skin falls out when nothing holds it, or when the strip holding it is too thin. Carvers recommend bridges of at least ¼ inch (6 mm) at the printed size. Our software checks every stencil at every size we offer: if a bridge or a strip between two cut-outs would get thinner than that, the size is not offered or the stencil is not published.
What does putting Vaseline on a carved pumpkin do?
Petroleum jelly can help lock in moisture. You rub it on the cut edges of the pumpkin skin. This stops the carved edges from drying out and wrinkling too fast. It helps your dinosaur pumpkin look fresh for a few extra days.
How to craft a carved pumpkin safely with kids?
Adults should always handle the carving saws. Kids can help scoop out the pumpkin seeds with a spoon. Young kids can also poke the stencil dots with a safe tool or draw the lines with a marker. Always use an LED light instead of a real candle.
How do I print all the dinosaur stencils?
You can tap the Print all button to get a PDF with all the dinosaur stencils. This makes it easy to look at all the designs with your family and pick your favorite T-Rex or Stegosaurus.
What is the easiest dinosaur to carve?
A simple silhouette is the easiest. Designs like a dinosaur footprint, a long neck, or a hatching baby dino only have a few big shapes. They are fast to carve and look great when they glow.