Egg Carton Crafts for Kids That Will Make You Think Twice Before Throwing Them Away.
I used to look at empty egg cartons and see something that needed to go straight into the bin. But when you have kids around, you start noticing that so many ordinary things can become craft materials.
An empty egg carton can become a flower, a little animal, a caterpillar, a boat, or even a colorful decoration with just a little paint and imagination. I especially love crafts like these because you do not need to spend a lot of money buying new supplies. You can simply save a few cartons from the kitchen and turn them into something fun with the kids.
If you have a few empty egg cartons at home, don’t throw them away just yet. In this post, I’m sharing some fun and creative egg carton crafts for kids that are easy to make, budget-friendly, and perfect for a creative afternoon at home.
Some of these are simple enough for younger children, while older kids can take their time painting, cutting, decorating, and adding their own ideas.
Why Egg Cartons Make Great Craft Materials
One reason I like using egg cartons for kids’ crafts is that they already come with different little sections and shapes. Instead of starting with a completely flat piece of cardboard, you already have something that can be turned into different objects.
They are also easy to paint, cut, glue, and decorate.
And because egg cartons are something many families already have at home, they can make Egg carton crafts time much more affordable.
You can keep a small box where you collect clean cartons, cardboard, toilet paper rolls, bottle caps, and other safe materials that might be useful for future projects.
That way, when the kids want to make something, you already have a few things available.
Egg Carton Caterpillar
A little egg carton can make the cutest caterpillar, and this is one craft I would definitely try with younger children.
The separate cups of the carton already look like the sections of a caterpillar’s body, so there is not much shaping required.
What You Need
- Empty egg carton
- Child-safe scissors
- Green or other colorful paint
- Paintbrush
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Pipe cleaners or paper for the antennae
- Marker
- Newspaper or an old sheet to protect the table
How to Make It
Start by cutting the egg carton lengthwise so you have a row of connected cups.
Depending on the age of your child, you may want to do the cutting yourself.
Let the child paint the carton in their favorite color. They can use green for a traditional caterpillar or mix different colors to make a rainbow caterpillar.
Allow the paint to dry completely.
Once it is dry, glue two googly eyes onto the front section.
Cut two small pieces of pipe cleaner and attach them to the top for the antennae.
You can also draw a little smile underneath the eyes.
For an extra colorful look, let your child paint each section a different color.
Make It More Fun
You can turn this into a little learning activity by talking about insects while making the craft.
Ask your child what caterpillars eat, where they live, and what they eventually turn into.
A simple craft can easily become a little conversation and learning moment.
Egg Carton Flowers
If you are looking for a craft that can actually be used as decoration, egg carton flowers are a lovely option.
The individual cups make surprisingly good flower petals once they are cut and painted.
What You Need
- Empty egg carton
- Child-safe scissors
- Acrylic or washable paint
- Paintbrushes
- Glue
- Green construction paper
- Popsicle sticks or pipe cleaners
- Buttons or pom-poms
- Small piece of cardboard
How to Make It
Cut individual cups from the egg carton.
Trim around the edges to create petal shapes. You can make the petals rounded, pointed, or slightly uneven.
Paint the cups in different colors.
You could make yellow flowers, pink flowers, purple flowers, or create a whole bunch of colorful flowers.
Allow them to dry.
For the center of each flower, glue a pom-pom, button, or small circle of paper.
Then cut green paper into leaves and attach them to a popsicle stick or pipe cleaner to create the stem.
Glue the flower onto the stem.
Make several flowers and arrange them in a small homemade vase.
A Cute Idea for Displaying Them
Instead of throwing the finished flowers into a craft box, put them in a little jar or recycled container and place them on a child’s desk, bookshelf, or craft table.
They become a decoration that reminds the child that they made it themselves.
Egg Carton Ladybug
Ladybugs are another adorable craft you can make from a single egg carton cup.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Red paint
- Black paint
- Paintbrush
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Black pipe cleaner
- Scissors
- Marker
How to Make It
Cut one cup from the egg carton.
Paint the outside red and allow it to dry.
Once the red paint has dried, use black paint to add small dots.
You can also paint a thin black line down the center to separate the wings.
Glue on two googly eyes.
Cut small pieces of black pipe cleaner for the antennae and legs.
If you do not have pipe cleaners, you can draw the legs and antennae with a black marker.
Let the Kids Get Creative
The ladybug does not have to be traditional.
You can let the children make purple, blue, pink, or rainbow ladybugs.
The goal is to let them create something they enjoy rather than making every craft look exactly the same.
More Kids Crafts to Try
If your kids enjoy these recycled crafts, you can keep the creativity going with more simple craft ideas
- Popsicle Stick Crafts for Kids
- Apple Crafts for Preschoolers
- Zoo Animal Crafts for Preschoolers
- Rainbow Crafts for Kids
- DIY Squishy Ideas for Kids
- Summer Crafts for Preschoolers
- David and Goliath Crafts for Preschoolers
Egg Carton Turtle
An egg carton can also be turned into a cute little turtle.
The raised shape of the carton makes a nice shell, which gives children a good base to decorate.
What You Need
- Empty egg carton
- Green paint
- Paintbrush
- Green cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Marker
- Optional: stickers or patterned paper
How to Make It
Cut one or two sections from the egg carton to use as the turtle’s shell.
Paint the carton green and let it dry.
While the shell is drying, draw a turtle head, four legs, and a small tail on green cardstock.
Cut them out carefully.
Glue the head, legs, and tail underneath the egg carton shell.
Add googly eyes and draw a little smile.
You can decorate the shell with small shapes, dots, or different shades of green.
Egg Carton Bee
This little bee is perfect for children who enjoy bright colors.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Yellow paint
- Black paint
- Paintbrush
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Black pipe cleaner
- White paper
- Scissors
- Marker
How to Make It
Cut out one egg carton cup.
Paint it yellow and allow it to dry.
Add black stripes around the cup.
Glue two googly eyes to the front.
Cut two small wings from white paper and glue them to the back.
Use small pieces of black pipe cleaner for the antennae.
You can also draw a little smile on the front.
Make a Whole Bee Family
Instead of making just one, let each child make their own bee.
You can make them different sizes and colors and display them together.
They would look cute hanging from a wall or sitting on a shelf.
Egg Carton Rainbow
If you enjoyed making rainbow crafts, this is another colorful project to add to your list.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Scissors
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- White cardstock
- Glue
- Cotton balls
- Yarn or ribbon
How to Make It
Cut several individual cups from the egg carton.
Paint the cups in different rainbow colors.
Allow them to dry completely.
Arrange the colored cups in a curved rainbow shape on a piece of cardstock.
Glue them down carefully.
Add cotton balls to both ends to create fluffy clouds.
You can attach yarn to the top if you want to hang the finished rainbow.
This would be a cute decoration for a child’s bedroom or playroom.
Egg Carton Snail
A snail is another fun animal craft that works surprisingly well with an egg carton.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Marker
- Pipe cleaners
How to Make It
Cut out one egg carton cup for the snail’s shell.
Paint it in your favorite color.
You can add swirls, dots, stripes, or little flowers to the shell.
While it dries, cut a long snail body from cardstock.
Glue the egg carton cup onto the body.
Add googly eyes and draw a smile.
Use small pieces of pipe cleaner for the antennae.
Try Different Colors
You can make a whole collection of snails with different colored shells.
Let the kids decide whether their snails should have spots, stripes, glitter, or tiny paper decorations.
Egg Carton Butterfly
Butterflies are always a fun craft to make with children, and egg cartons give you a nice little body to work with.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Pipe cleaner
- Markers
- Optional: glitter or stickers
How to Make It
Cut one egg carton cup and paint it in your chosen color.
Next, draw two large butterfly wings on colored paper and cut them out.
Decorate the wings with markers, stickers, glitter, or small pieces of colored paper.
Glue the wings to the back of the egg carton cup.
Add googly eyes to the front.
Use pipe cleaner for the antennae.
You can also add a small piece of string to the back if you want to hang the butterfly.
Egg Carton Dinosaur
This is a fun option for kids who are fascinated by dinosaurs.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Green paint
- Paintbrush
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Markers
- Optional: small paper spikes
How to Make It
Use several egg carton cups to create the dinosaur’s body.
Paint them green or choose another color.
Cut a dinosaur head and tail from cardstock.
Attach them to the body.
You can cut little triangles from paper and glue them along the dinosaur’s back to create spikes.
Add googly eyes and draw a mouth.
Older children can create their own dinosaur design and experiment with different colors.
Egg Carton Ocean Animals
Instead of making just one animal, why not turn your egg cartons into a whole little underwater world?
You can make fish, crabs, octopuses, and other sea creatures using different sections of the carton.
What You Need
- Empty egg cartons
- Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Colored cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Googly eyes
- Markers
- Pipe cleaners
- Optional: yarn and stickers
How to Make It
Cut individual cups from the egg carton.
Paint them in different colors.
For fish, attach paper fins and a tail, For octopus, attach strips of paper or pipe cleaners underneath the carton cup, For A crab, add paper claws and legs.
For extra fun, make a large blue sheet of paper into an ocean background and attach the animals to it.
This can become a bigger craft project that children can work on over several days.
Egg Carton Chick
This is a particularly cute project around spring or Easter, but children can enjoy it at any time of the year.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Yellow paint
- Orange cardstock
- Googly eyes
- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- Optional: yellow feathers
How to Make It
Cut one egg carton cup and paint it yellow.
Allow it to dry completely.
Cut a tiny orange triangle for the beak.
Glue the beak and googly eyes onto the front.
You can add little paper feet underneath.
If you have yellow craft feathers, glue a few onto the sides or top.
Make several little chicks and arrange them together for a cute display.
Egg Carton Mushroom Craft
This one is especially cute if your child enjoys making little woodland scenes.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Red and white paint
- Paintbrush
- Cardstock
- Scissors
- Glue
- Marker
How to Make It
Cut one cup from the egg carton and paint it red.
Allow it to dry.
Add small white dots to the top to create the mushroom cap.
Cut a small stem from white or beige cardstock.
Glue the stem underneath the egg carton cup.
You can make several mushrooms in different sizes and create a little paper garden around them.
Egg Carton Fruit Basket
This is a lovely craft if you want something a little different from the usual animal projects.
What You Need
- Egg carton
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Colored paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Marker
- Optional: yarn
How to Make It
Cut individual cups from the carton and paint them in different colors.
You can make tiny apples, oranges, lemons, strawberries, or other fruits.
Use colored paper to add leaves and small details.
Arrange all the fruits together in a larger cardboard basket.
This can also be turned into a pretend-play activity once the craft is finished.
How to Make Egg Carton Crafts Easier for Younger Kids
If you are crafting with preschoolers, there are a few things you can do to make the experience easier.
The first is to handle the difficult cutting yourself.
Egg cartons can sometimes be awkward to cut, especially for little hands, so you can prepare the pieces before the activity begins.
Then let the children take over the fun parts.
They can paint, glue, decorate, arrange, and choose the colors.
It is also a good idea to protect your table with old newspapers or a washable tablecloth because paint and glue can get everywhere once the children get excited.
And don’t worry too much about the final result.
If one eye is higher than the other or the colors are not perfectly arranged, that’s okay. The point is for the child to enjoy creating something.
Let Kids Use Their Imagination
One thing I love about recycled crafts is that there is no single right way to make them.
An egg carton does not have to become a green caterpillar just because you saw one online.
Let your child decide what they want to make.
Maybe their caterpillar is purple, their ladybug has blue spots, their butterfly has six different colors, Or Maybe the dinosaur is pink.
That is completely fine.
You can give them the basic idea and allow them to take it from there.
Sometimes the little changes children make are what turn a simple craft into something really special.
How to Display Egg Carton Crafts
After spending time making these crafts, don’t immediately put them in a box where nobody will see them.
Create a little display area for the finished projects.
You could place them:
- On a child’s bookshelf
- On a bedroom desk
- In a playroom
- Near a reading corner
- On a craft shelf
- On a classroom display board
- Beside a window
- On a small table
- Around a child’s study area
You can also hang some of the crafts using yarn or ribbon.
If you’ve made several animals, create a little animal corner.
you’ve made flowers, put them in a recycled jar.
If you’ve made butterflies, hang them together on a wall.
The display doesn’t need to be fancy. Seeing their own work around the house can make children feel proud of what they created.
A Few Safety Tips for Egg Carton Crafts for kids Before You Start
Because these Egg Carton crafts are designed for children, it is important to keep safety in mind.
Always use clean, dry egg cartons for crafting.
If you are using scissors, younger children should have child-safe scissors and adult supervision.
Adults should handle hot glue guns, sharp cutting, or anything that could be dangerous for a child.
Also supervise younger children around small items such as googly eyes, buttons, beads, and other tiny decorations.
And if you are unsure whether a particular recycled material is suitable for your child, leave it out and use something safer instead.
How to Store Egg Cartons for Future Crafts
If you enjoy making recycled crafts, start a small craft-recycling box at home.
Whenever you finish using an egg carton, make sure it is clean and dry before keeping it.
You can store the cartons along with cardboard boxes, paper rolls, bottle caps, yarn scraps, and leftover pieces of construction paper.
Then when the children want to make something, you can simply bring out the box and see what you can create.
This can save money on craft supplies, and it also gives children the opportunity to look at everyday objects differently.
Final Thoughts Egg Carton crafts for kids
I really like crafts that give ordinary things a second life, and egg cartons are a perfect example.
Something that would normally be thrown away can become a colorful butterfly, a little caterpillar, a flower, a dinosaur, or almost anything your child can imagine.
These egg carton crafts for kids are also a great reminder that you don’t need a cupboard full of expensive supplies to have a creative afternoon. Sometimes the best materials are already sitting in your recycling box.
So the next time you finish a carton of eggs, don’t be too quick to throw the carton away.
Put it aside, bring out the paint and glue, and see what the kids can come up with.
You might just look at an ordinary egg carton a little differently afterward.
