Paint face, or cut and glue felt features. Add yarn hair to scarecrow and witch, pompom nose and rickrack whiskers to cat. The right stuff. Always use appropriate carving tools. For children aged 8 and under, the kinds that come in prepackaged pumpkin-carving kits are best.
Older kids can use a sharp paring knife.
Top it off. Slice off the pumpkin top on a slant. This prevents the lid from slipping into your pumpkin. Cut a notch at the top where the lid meets the pumpkin to make a chimney for smoke. Hollow out the pumpkin using an ice cream scoop or metal spoon.