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RRethink

Egg carton crafts for kids

An empty egg carton is twelve little cups and a lid. Cut it up and it becomes a caterpillar, a bunch of flowers, a tray of seed starters or a treasure box. Every craft below uses things you already have, and most take 15 to 30 minutes.

Aria paints the old wagon bright teal with gold stars while Julius the cat bats at her apron.

Craft 1 · Ages 3+ · 20 min

Egg carton caterpillar

You need

  • One row of 6 cups cut from a carton
  • Paint
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Googly eyes or a marker

Steps

  1. Cut one long row of cups off the carton.
  2. Paint it green (or any colour) and let it dry.
  3. Poke two short pipe-cleaner pieces into the first cup for antennae.
  4. Add eyes and a smile on the front cup.

Craft 2 · Ages 4+ · 30 min

Egg carton flowers

You need

  • Single cups cut apart
  • Scissors
  • Paint
  • Pipe cleaners or straws
  • A button for the middle (optional)

Steps

  1. Cut the cups apart and trim the rim of each into petal points.
  2. Paint inside and out. Two colours look best.
  3. Poke a pipe cleaner through the bottom for a stem, bending the end inside so it holds.
  4. Glue a button in the middle. Stand them in a jar.

Craft 3 · Ages 4+ · 15 min, then weeks of watching

Seed starters

You need

  • A paper (not foam) carton
  • Potting soil
  • Seeds: beans, sunflowers or lettuce grow fast

Steps

  1. Poke a small drainage hole in the bottom of each cup.
  2. Fill with soil and plant one or two seeds per cup.
  3. Water a little every day on a sunny windowsill.
  4. When seedlings have four leaves, cut the cups apart and plant each one, carton and all. The paper rots away.

Craft 4 · Ages 3+ · 20 min

Ladybugs and beetles

You need

  • Single cups
  • Red and black paint
  • Pipe cleaner bits for legs

Steps

  1. Paint a cup red and let it dry.
  2. Add black dots and a black head with a marker or paint.
  3. Poke three pipe-cleaner pieces through each side for legs.

Craft 5 · Ages 5+ · 15 min

Treasure sorting box

You need

  • A whole 12-cup carton
  • Markers

Steps

  1. Keep the carton whole, lid and all.
  2. Draw a tiny picture inside each cup: a shell, a button, a bead, a coin.
  3. Go on a hunt and sort what you find into the matching cups.
  4. Close the lid to keep the collection safe.

Craft 6 · Ages 5+ · 25 min

Egg carton boat

You need

  • A foam carton lid (foam floats; paper does not)
  • A straw
  • Paper for a sail
  • Tape

Steps

  1. Cut the lid into a boat shape.
  2. Tape the straw upright in the middle.
  3. Cut a triangle sail and tape it to the straw.
  4. Float it in the sink or a tub. Blow it along.

Craft 7 · Ages 6+ · 45 min

Flower wreath

You need

  • A paper plate
  • About 12 egg carton flowers (see above)
  • Glue

Steps

  1. Cut the middle out of the paper plate to make a ring.
  2. Glue the flowers all around the ring, overlapping a little.
  3. Add a ribbon loop at the top to hang it.

Craft 8 · Ages 3+ with a grown-up · 15 min

Rattle shaker

You need

  • Two single cups
  • A spoonful of dry rice or beans
  • Tape
  • Stickers

Steps

  1. Put the rice in one cup.
  2. Tape the second cup on top, rim to rim, all the way round.
  3. Decorate with stickers and shake.

Why this counts as Rethink

Before a carton goes in the bin, ask what else it could be. That question is Aria's job in the crew, and it is the first of the six Rs. More ideas: 20 Earth Day activities.

Egg carton questions

Can you recycle egg cartons?

Paper egg cartons can usually go in the paper recycling, and they can also be composted. Foam (polystyrene) cartons are not accepted by most curbside programs, which is a good reason to reuse them for crafts.

What paint works on egg cartons?

Washable tempera or poster paint works well on paper cartons. Foam cartons need acrylic paint, and a grown-up should handle it.

What can kids make with egg cartons?

Caterpillars, flowers, ladybugs, seed starters, treasure boxes, boats, wreaths and shakers. Most take 15 to 30 minutes with things already at home.