The best part about doing crafts with your kids is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money buying supplies because you already have so many among your everyday household items. This is your reminder not to recycle those egg cartons the next time you do groceries because you just bought a craft supply along with your dozen eggs!
Egg carton crafts for kids are so popular because the packaging for your morning breakfast is also a versatile box that can be cut and painted into endless possibilities. After reading about these six unique egg carton crafts, you’ll never wonder what to do with egg cartons again.
Egg carton bugs
If you cut out each individual hole for holding each egg, you are left with a “cup” that can be made into countless animals and insects. Paint the exterior, stick on two googly eyes, and maybe add pipe cleaner legs, and you’ll have a little character.
You can make a bee by combining two of these cups along with pipe cleaner wings using this tutorial. Get a pom-pom head to make this easy ladybug or use eight pieces of pipe cleaner for this spider craft. The possibilities are really endless.
Egg carton turkeys
This Thanksgiving craft can make a cute centerpiece for a family dinner. Glue two cups together to form the turkey body and paint it brown. Then take construction paper of various fall colors and cut them out in the shape of feathers. Glue all of the tips of the feathers onto a construction paper circle that you can glue to the back of the turkey’s body.
For the face, use red construction paper for the snood (the red but that hangs off of a turkey’s face), cut and fold up an orange paper beak, and finish it with two googly eyes. With just glue, scissors, paper, paint, eyes, and an egg carton, you can make a whole little flock in any color you like.
Egg carton birdfeeder
Cut off the top of your 12- or 18-egg carton and string some twine through the four corners to make a DIY bird feeder. This is great if you have plastic egg cartons or a dry spot in a tree to hang it from. While other crafts are usually for decoration, a gift, or just for something to do, your child will love the idea of making something practical that is going to help the birds.
They can fill it up with birdseed themselves and choose the spot to hang it. Then sit back to birdwatch and see if anyone takes advantage of the new buffet!
Egg carton flowers
This craft is perfect for springtime, for Easter, or to give a faux bouquet to a parent or grandparent for their birthday. Cut out four cups together by just cutting a one-dozen egg carton into three equal pieces. Paint the flowers however you want (this is always the fun part!) and glue painted-green popsicle sticks to the flowers as stems.
Egg carton snowman
This winter craft uses three cups cut out together as one to make the three balls of snow that make up the snowman. If you have white styrofoam cartons this is ideal, but otherwise, you can paint the trio of cups white. Lie them dome side up and start designing the outfit, face, and body.
Put googly eyes on the top cup along with an orange triangle of construction paper for the carrot nose. In the middle cup, put pipe cleaner stick arms out of the sides and draw three black dots for buttons. You can also make a red felt scarf and other accessories.
Egg carton train
If you’re looking for something longer and more free-form, a train could be the best egg carton craft for you. Use a toilet paper roll for the lead engine of your train and then take two-cup sections cut out of the egg carton and string them together behind the engine as the cars.
Paint and decorate the engine and cars however you want and glue paper wheels onto the sides of the cars. Best of all, this creates a toy they can put little figurines in and drag around the table playing train with a toy they made themselves. Find the full tutorial here.
Use it to hold your craft supplies
In addition to these six fun craft ideas, those egg cartons can be very useful when doing crafts as a way to hold all your craft supplies! Take an egg carton and fill each hole with different colors of paint and your child has an easy way to get creative. The best part is it makes clean-up a breeze. You can add paint as needed and simply throw away the container when your child is done.
The same goes for other craft supplies. Fill up each carton hole with different craft supplies and your child has an easy and accessible way to get creative. The best part is you can add only the amount you know you’re child will need. Not only does it help keep your craft area organized, but it helps minimize waste and spillage.
There is one of these eco-friendly crafts for every season and every interest, so get out the scissors and have fun. Kids can’t resist doing arts and crafts, plus, it’s such a great way to encourage them to be creative and move away from screen time. As a bonus, you’ll be teaching them the importance of reusing and repurposing household items. Egg carton crafts are a win-win all around.
