Hellobee

We love decorating for holidays at my house. All holidays! But spring and Easter are especially nice as we say goodbye to winter and welcome light and bright colors, more nature, and eggs. Of course, eggs!

Sometimes we have lots of decorations, and sometimes it’s as simple as a few ornaments on a branch that we bring in from outside. And when those ornaments are handmade, they are extra special! With this project even your youngest artists can help decorate and welcome spring!

Recycled cereal boxes
Watercolor paints
Paint brushes
Scissors
Ribbon
Craft glue

PaintedEggTemplates

Spread out the cereal boxes and flip them to the brown side. Encourage your child to paint all over the cardboard.

Using a larger, softer paint brush than what usually comes with watercolor sets can help a lot. You can even have several sizes of brushes available so your child can choose what he or she likes best. Trying them is especially good for children as they get older.

Watercolors can get a little murky when younger children use them, so it helps to have set just for them so that older children don’t get frustrated when they don’t have all the pretty colors to choose from.

For the prettiest of eggs, fill the entire cardboard with color. Larger brushes help with this too!

After the paint has dried, it will be much more pastel, showing the natural cardboard through. If you would prefer more vibrant colors, you can use washable tempera paint, or even crayons or markers. You could also choose to use card stock or other materials to paint on.

Use the egg templates to trace onto the painted cardboard. You will need two eggs for each ornament.

Cut out the eggs. This is a job for a grownup, but older children would be able to cut through the cardboard if they have strong cutting hands!

Cut a 6-8” piece of ribbon and tie the ends together to make a hanger. Glue it to the back of one of the egg shapes, then add some glue around the egg. Place a second egg on top, so they are back to back. If the cardboard curls a bit, you can paperclip the shapes together as they dry.

When they eggs have dried, they are ready to display! A simple branch in a jar of stones makes a beautiful background for these painted kraft ornaments. Craft stores often sell “Easter trees” designed for ornaments, which may be a safer choice for young children.

No matter how you display these, your kids will be proud to have their artwork as part of your spring decorating!

Happy crafting!