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Painting eggs in a cardboard box is a fun Easter egg activity for kids that requires minimal prep and results in beautiful marbled eggs.
As a mom of a preschooler who loves painting, I’m always looking for creative projects to keep my little guy busy, especially during festive occasions like Easter. Today, I’m sharing this incredibly fun, easy, and mess-free Easter egg painting project for preschoolers or even toddlers that your little ones will adore! Cardboard box egg painting is a mess-free, low-prep Easter art activity with beautiful marbled results your kids will love.
Transform an ordinary cardboard box into a magical egg-painting station where your little artists can create stunning marbled eggs with minimal effort and mess. It’s the perfect hands-on activity that not only encourages creativity but also helps develop fine motor skills in a fun and exciting way.
Keep reading to see how simple this Easter egg painting is; your kids will be so “egg-cited” to dive in!
What do you need for cardboard box egg painting?
Honestly, not much, and supplies you probably already have around the home, minus the eggs. You’ll need a cardboard box of course, we found a shoebox the perfect size.
You’ll also need cardstock or we recommend thicker watercolor paper to absorb the paint perfectly. Lastly, you’ll need an assortment of paints in various colors and eggs.
What kind of eggs are good for painting?
We wouldn’t recommend real or blown-out eggs as they are too fragile for rolling around in a box. You can use wooden eggs but make sure they are not varnished and the wood has texture (not sanded and smooth).
What we found best are actually these super light and cheap white plastic eggs that don’t have a glossy finish on them (unlike the kind of eggs you buy and fill with treats that don’t absorb paint). These white eggs actually absorb paint and allow it to dry to a marbled finish. Plus they are super cheap at $12 for 48 eggs! (price current as of this writing).
Why is this a good Easter egg decorating idea for preschoolers?
Painting mess-free Easter eggs in a cardboard box is a fantastic project for preschoolers for several reasons:
- Minimal mess: Using a cardboard box as the painting station helps contain the paint splatters, drips, and spills within the box, making it a mess-free activity.
- Easy setup: Setting up this project is a breeze – all you need is a cardboard box, paint, and eggs. It’s a simple low-prep activity for busy parents who want to keep their preschoolers entertained without elaborate prep.
- Boosts creativity: This egg painting technique allows for endless color combinations and marbled patterns. Preschoolers can experiment and explore their artistic side, fostering their creativity and imagination.
- Develops motor skills: Rolling the eggs around in the box helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, while keeping little ones entertained.
- Environmentally friendly: Repurposing a cardboard box for this activity not only makes it an affordable option but is also a great recycled craft.
What kind of paint to use for this Easter egg painting?
We used acrylic paint which is water-based, but you can also use washable, or tempera kid-friendly paints.
Easter Box Egg Painting Materials
- cardboard box
- cardstock paper or watercolor paper
- paint in various colors (we used acrylic)
- plastic or wooden eggs
Cardboard Box Egg Painting: Perfect Preschool Easter Egg Decorating
Materials
- cardboard box
- cardstock paper or watercolor paper
- paint in various colors (we used acrylic)
- plastic or wooden eggs
Instructions
1. Cut your paper to fit the bottom of your box and lay it inside.
2. Add drips of paint on the paper.
3. Add a few eggs and roll them around to create marbled eggs!
Tips: The longer you roll the more marbled and "muddied" they will look so watch out for colors blending too much if that's not the effect you want.
Carefully remove the eggs and lay on parchment paper or newspaper to fully dry before handling.
Add more eggs (but keep in mind the marbling will be more blended) OR remove the paper which becomes a beautiful art piece in and of itself. Save to frame. Add a new piece of paper to the box and start over with new paint colors.
The post Cardboard Box Egg Painting: Perfect Preschool Easter Egg Decorating appeared first on hello, Wonderful.