Easter Egg Coloring Directions

Coloring Easter eggs can be a fun craft for the kids.

Easter time is about coming together as a family, celebrating with friends and of course the Easter eggs. Coloring Easter eggs is a fun craft to do with the kids, or even just by yourself. Though you can purchase dye packs from your local craft or grocery store, a few ingredients at home can create the same effect as the professional dye.

Things You'll Need

• Plain white vinegar
• Small cups
• Food coloring
• Paper towels
• Paint brush
• Spoons
• Measuring spoons
• Vegetable oil
• Newspaper
• Decorating items (stickers, rubber bands, sprinkles)

Instructions

1. Cover your work surface with newspaper to protect your table from any spills. Rinse your hard boiled eggs under cool water to remove any oils or impurities that may be resting on the shell. Set aside to air dry.

2. Fill each small cup halfway full with water. Leave enough room for your egg to be completely submerged in the water without the cup overflowing. Add one teaspoon of vinegar to each cup of water. Add more vinegar if using a bowl or bucket.

3. Use food coloring to add drops to each cup. Use primary colors of red, green, blue and yellow to start. Mix these colors to create others. For example, to make orange, mix yellow with red. Create several different color mixes. Use a spoon to mix the colors into the water.

4. Use a spoon to gently place one egg in a cup. Turn the egg over so that the egg is dyed completely. Leave the egg in the coloring solution longer for deeper and more vibrant colors, or remove the egg quickly for pastel finishes. Place eggs in one color and then another color to make a watercolor effect, or dip half of an egg in one color and the other half in another color for a two-tone finish. Use a spoon to remove the egg from the cup.

5. Place eggs on paper towels to dry, or pat dry with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil to give a glossy finish. Use leftover egg cartons to store eggs until you are ready to eat them or use them for an Easter egg hunt.

6. Dip a paint brush into the colored solutions to paint images, words or decorations on your eggs. Use an egg that is still white or an egg that has been dyed. Decorate dried eggs with stickers, pieces of ribbon or roll wet eggs in confetti or sprinkles for a unique touch. Create a striped effect by placing rubber bands around your egg and then dipping them in the colored solution. Allow the egg to dry fully before removing the rubber bands.

References

• DLTK Holidays: Food Coloring Dyed Easter Eggs
• Aki's Kitchen: Dyeing Easter Eggs
• What's Cooking America: Easter Egg Dyes