Go beyond Easter eggs (but we’ve got ideas for that too!) with these fun kid-friendly crafts for spring and Easter.
Spring Pinwheel
You need:
- Pinwheel PDF which you can download below
- Pencil with an eraser
- 1 Straight Pin
- 2 Small Beads
Click here to download the PDF:
Directions:
1. Print pinwheel PDF and then cut along dotted lines, being sure to stop where dotted lines stop.
2. Punch holes where noted.
3. Insert straight pin through one bead and then push it through the hole in circle cutout.
4. With the colored side down, turn marked corners of the pinwheel toward the center hole, and insert pin into each hole.
5. Finally, insert pin into the back of the pinwheel, add one more bead to the pin, and insert into eraser.
DIY Chia Pet
You need:
- Plastic container
- Acrylic paint
- Soil
- Grass seeds (such as wheatgrass or rye)
- Craft items such as fun foam, googly eyes, yarn and buttons.
Directions:
1. Paint the plastic container with several coats of paint.
2. When the paint dries, give your “pet” a face and personality with buttons, fun foam, googly eyes, etc.
3. Fill the container with soil.
4. Add seeds and cover with soil. Water and place in a sunny location. Green hair should emerge within 3-5 days.
Bunny Tail Treats
Have some edible fun with this easy recipe.
- 1/4 cup butter
- 8 oz low-fat cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
Directions:
1. Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
2. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and continue to mix until smooth.
3. Mix in coconut.
4. Roll into balls and place onto a cookie sheet (lined with waxed paper).
5. Chill 3-4 hours before serving
Secret Message Eggs
April Fools might be over but that doesn’t mean you can’t trick your kids with this fun egg-dying idea.
You need:
- White Hard Boiled Eggs
- Food Coloring or Egg Dye (see below)
- White Crayon
Directions:
1. When your kids aren’t looking, use a white crayon to write a secret message on each egg.
2. Prepare egg dye according to directions and watch your kids’ faces light up when they realize there are a secret messages on each egg.
3. Let your kids write their own messages before dying the next batch of eggs.
Natural Egg Dyes
Thank you to our friends Lynn and Corey at celebrategreen.net for sharing these natural dyes!
To dye eggs, combine 4 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and either 4 cups of fruits / vegetables or 1 tablespoon of spice. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 30 minutes. Cool and strain, then add hard-boiled eggs and let soak at least 30 minutes. Remember the longer you soak your eggs, the darker the shade.
Pink/red: Beets, cranberries/cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, red grape juice, red onion skins, rhubarb stalks (chopped), raspberries, some types of red tea
Orange: Yellow onion skins (from about 12 onions), paprika, chili powder
Yellow: Lemon peels, orange peels, carrots (shredded), cumin (ground), turmeric (ground)
Green: Spinach, some types of tea, golden delicious apple skins (may be a green/yellow)
Blue: Blueberries/blueberry juice, purple grape juice, red cabbage, blackberries
Purple: Violet blossoms + 2 tsp lemon juice, hibiscus tea
Brown: Strong black coffee, tea, dill seeds, black walnut shells