How to Make Recycled Egg Carton Creatures

Making recycled egg carton creatures is fun and creative for kids. Save your empty egg cartons either cardboard or plastic, it doesn't matter for this kid's craft. This is a great way to encourage imagination and keep one child or a group of kids entertained for awhile. They don't have to be great artists. They just have to create. There is no wrong or right. Kids can model them after real animals or come up with creatures straight out of their imaginations.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Egg cartons of any kind
• Scissors
• Acrylic or school paints(optional)
• Paint brush(optional)
• Construction paper
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly craft eyes
• Scrap fabric
• Trims
• Ribbons
• Fake jewels
• Twigs, leaves, flower petals
• Beads
• Circle stickers
• Old nuts and bolts
• Metal washers
• Bottle tops
• White craft glue

1. Cut single, double and triple egg cups from used egg cartons. For a large group of children, make sure enough cartons are gathered ahead of time. Ask people to save them to contribute to the project.

2. Decide what egg carton creature to make then begin the decorating. If the body pieces are going to be painted, that should be the first thing done after cutting out the egg carton cups. They need to be completely dry before all the accessories are added.

3. Begin adding legs, arms, facial features, tails, antennae, spots, scales or whatever details the creature is supposed to have. Use whatever you have available--like construction paper, pipe cleaners, googly craft eyes, scrap fabric, trims, ribbons, fake jewels, twigs, leaves, flower petals, beads, round colorful stickers or even nuts, bolts, metal washers and bottle tops to make mechanical looking creatures. For a group of kids making these, put the items in like piles and let them choose what they want to use. For the less creative children or children who learn better visually it might be a good idea to have a few samples. Also give them some verbal ideas to get started with. Glue the pieces in place using the white craft glue. Then let everything dry.

4. Tell a story about each creature or let the kids come up with a story using their creatures. Help them write a story that uses their creations. Make it a class project for display along with the egg carton creatures for something to share with parents. For an alternate idea, pick a story the children love and have them make those specific animals or creatures, then display the book along with their creations.

[enermazing]

on 10/26/2009 I like the idea with the story!