In our house there’s at least one egg carton that gets emptied every week, so it’s an easy material to have around for art and craft projects with the kids. If you’re stuck for ideas for things to make with your empty egg cartons, here are 15 egg carton crafts the kids will be eager to make – plus, they’re super cute!
Look at your empty carton – what could it be? A flower petal, fish scales, an adorable bumble bee, a robot… or an egg carton craft of your own creation? With some paint and basic craft supplies, you can transform something incredibly simple into a treasured art project.
You may also enjoy: 10 of the Cutest Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids to Make
Egg Carton Crafts to Make with Kids
Egg Carton Jellyfish
We love this idea for egg carton jellyfish from The Art Kit Blog, using egg cartons, paint and yarn for the jellyfish tentacles, with googly eyes for some character!
Image courtesy of Theartkitblog.com
Spring Chicks
These colourful little egg carton chicks from Typically Simple are perfect for Easter, spring… or just because!
Image courtesy of Typicallysimple.com
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Egg Carton Penguins
Aren’t these egg carton penguins from One Little Project just adorable?
Image courtesy of Onelittleproject.com
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Egg Carton Mermaids
Mermaids are all the rage, so these egg carton mermaids from Die Kleine Botin are sure to be popular. Created by Daniela, this upcycling DIY craft is good for children from about 4 years and up.
Image courtesy of Diekleinebotin.at
Egg Carton Flowers
This is such a sweet idea from I Heart Arts n Crafts for making some pretty flowers – they could even be part of a Mother’s Day craft project.
Image courtesy of Iheartartsncrafts.com
You may also enjoy: 15 Easy Paper Flowers Crafts For Toddlers, Preschoolers and Bigger Kids
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
For all you Hungry Caterpillar fans out there, you’ll enjoy this egg carton caterpillar craft. You will need:
- Green paint
- Red paint
- A purple pipe cleaner cut in two
- A pair of googly eyes
- A 12-egg carton
Cut the lid off, then cut lengthways down the middle, leaving you with 6 egg cups. Paint the one at the front red and add googly eyes and antennae made from the pipe cleaners. Paint the remaining egg cups green.
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Egg Carton Insects
This fun tutorial from Pink Stripey Socks shows you how to make adorable bumble bees and egg carton ants.
Image courtesy of Pinkstripeysocks.com
Panda Bear
Isn’t this egg carton panda bear from Patch Work Parent adorable? We particularly love the bamboo shoot made from a cocktail stick.
Image courtesy of Patchworkparent.blogspot.com
You may also enjoy: 14 Perfect Panda Craft Ideas for Kids to Make
Little Ladybirds
These egg carton ladybirds from the Go Green blog are cute and look easy to make. We like that they’ve used different colours for each one, and the little pompom faces with googly eyes are so sweet.
Image courtesy of Gogreenwebdirectory
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Egg Carton Crab Craft
Have fun making some egg carton crabs with these step-by-step instructions from The Spruce Crafts. There are lots of other fun craft tutorials on the website if you have a browse too.
Image courtesy of Thesprucecrafts.com
Egg Carton Dinosaurs
If you’ve got a dinosaur fan in the house, then these egg carton dinosaurs are the perfect craft to make with them. Mum Crystal shares her how-to steps on her blog, which are easy to follow.
Image courtesy of Ourkidthings.com
You may also enjoy: 12 Fun and Creative Dinosaur Craft Ideas For Your Little Dino Fans
Egg Carton Bee
This adorable egg carton baby bee craft from Buggy and Buddy is a good one for preschoolers and junior infants/kindergarten-aged kids. It’s cute and easy to make, and it gets them thinking about being bee-friendly too!
Image courtesy of buggyandbuddy.com
Egg Carton Whale
We just love this egg carton whale craft from I Heart Crafty Things. It’s such a friendly little whale! And you could make a few out of one egg carton.
Image courtesy of Iheartcraftythings.com
Egg Carton Alligator
This is a fabulous use of a whole egg carton to make an egg carton alligator. There are step-by-step instructions for this and other fun animal-themed crafts on the Kix Cereal website.
Image courtesy of Kixcereal.com
Egg Carton Snail Craft
Complete your animal who’s who with another simple and super cute craft from The Spruce Crafts. These snails can be decorated easily by little ones, who can be as creative as they want with the shell designs.
Image courtesy of Thesprucecrafts.com
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Over to you now — any other suggestions for egg carton crafts for kids? Share them with us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age are egg carton crafts suitable for?
Most egg carton crafts work well from around age 3 upwards with some adult help for cutting, and independently from about age 5 or 6. Simple painting steps suit toddlers too, if an adult pre-cuts the carton sections.
Do I need to clean egg cartons before using them for crafts?
It’s a good idea to check cartons are dry and free of any egg residue before painting or cutting. A quick wipe with a damp cloth is usually enough.
What paint works best on egg cartons?
Acrylic or poster paint both work well on cardboard egg cartons. A base coat of white paint first can help brighter colours stand out, especially on darker cartons.
Can I use polystyrene egg cartons instead of cardboard ones?
Cardboard cartons are easier to cut and hold paint better, but polystyrene cartons can work for some designs. They’re generally trickier for younger children to cut safely.
How long do egg carton crafts take to make?
Most of the crafts above can be made in under an hour, though drying time for paint may add extra time before the craft is ready to play with or display.
More Craft Ideas You’ll Love
- 10 of the Cutest Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids to Make
- 15 Easy Paper Flowers Crafts For Toddlers, Preschoolers and Bigger Kids
- 14 Perfect Panda Craft Ideas for Kids to Make
- 12 Fun and Creative Dinosaur Craft Ideas For Your Little Dino Fans
- 50 Brilliant Ideas for Art & Craft for Kids That Are Worth the Mess
Save These Ideas for a Rainy Day
Keep this list handy for the next rainy afternoon, school holiday, or “I’m bored” moment. Bookmark the page or pin your favourite craft so it’s ready to go whenever you need a quick, low-cost activity.
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