Decorating Easter Eggs

Decorating Easter eggs is a fun and creative family project. The first step is to either hard-boil the eggs or blow out the eggs. Blown eggs are created by inserting a needle into one end of the egg and piercing the egg yolk sack. At the opposite end of the egg, pierce another hole with the needle. Blow through one of the holes over a bowl.

Children are good egg blowers. Once the content of the egg has been removed, the egg will need to be washed to remove traces of egg yolk and membrane. Let dry.

Dyeing Eggs

You can use any packaged Easter egg dye kit or food dye. Instructions for mixing the dye are on the package. In addition to the dye, you will need a plastic sheet or lots of newspapers to protect the table, several Styrofoam cups for mixing the dye in and dunking the eggs-one for each color, a wand or spoons for retrieving the eggs out of the cup, and an egg carton or egg stand to set the eggs in while they are drying. If you are using food dye, you will need white vinegar.

Older kids will soon grow bored with dunking eggs and start experimenting with different ways to use the dye. Mixing colors can be fun and educational but usually becomes overdone and results in unusual browns and greens. Below are some dye variations your child can experiment with.

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Marbleized eggs

Making your own marbled Easter eggs is a fun and easy way to add some extra flair to your holiday decor.

• eggs
• food dye
• cups
• cooking oil

Add one tablespoon of cooking oil to one of your already mixed dye cups and swirl before dropping the egg into the dye. Let sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Turn and let sit for another 10 minutes. Remove from the cup and place on a paper towel. Wipe off the oil and place on a drying rack.

This should be done towards the end as it is not reversible, and all your eggs will be marbleized.

Variation: Dye the egg a lighter color before putting it in the oil swirl.

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Rubber bands

• small rubber bands,
• food dye,
• cups, or large muffin tins.

Wrap the egg with small rubber bands of different widths. The eggs will have to remain while in the dye. The outcome is not always perfect, but it makes an interesting pattern. You can dye the egg before applying the rubber bands to create a two-tone effect or re-dye the egg afterward.

Crayon Melts

• crayons
• warm eggs

Use warm eggs. Draw lines or squiggles on the egg using a crayon. The crayon will melt when applied.

Stickers

• Adhesive stars, paper reinforces, and other shapes OR
• Small paper punches and adhesive name tags
• Eggs
• Food dye

Apply gum stars or hole reinforces to the egg before dying. Remove the stickers after dying. Again you can dye the egg before applying the stickers or re-dye it afterward.

OR use paper punches to punch out stickers from adhesive name tags. You can find rabbits, flowers, suns, eggs, and tulip paper punches in the craft section of stores. Follow the instructions for gum stars above.

Cheesecloth

• cheesecloth
• food dye (gel or liquid)
• eggs
• spoon

Wrap the egg in cheesecloth or a piece of nylon hose. Twist the fabric at the top of the egg and hold it with a rubber band. Place the egg into a cup of dye. The egg will need to remain in the dye for a while in order for this to work.

Variation: Use lace or eyelet fabric.

Leafs

• grass blades, ferns, leaves, or artificial ones with center remove
• cooking oil or paper glue stick
• netting or cheesecloth if using real grass etc.
• eggs
• dye

“Stick” leaves, small petals, or blades of grass to the egg using cooking oil before wrapping it with the netting or cheesecloth. The results are iffy.

Or use the petals and leaves from small silk flowers with the hard center removed. Glue the silk petals and leaves to the egg using a paper glue stick. You don’t need to wrap these eggs before dying. Peel off the petals after dying.

Ombre Eggs

This is a really fun way to decorate your Easter eggs, and it’s not that hard to do! You can use this technique with any color combination that you want.

• hard-boiled eggs,
• white crayons,
• food coloring,
• white vinegar,
• and a bowl for each color.

Using the white crayon, draw a design on the egg. Fill each bowl with 1/2 cup of water and one teaspoon of vinegar. Add ten drops of food coloring to each bowl and stir.

Dip the eggs into the lightest color first and hold them there for a few seconds. Remove the eggs and let them dry on a paper towel.

Repeat the steps above, dipping the eggs into each color bowl until you have achieved the desired effect. Let the eggs dry completely before handling them.

Splattered eggs

• cardboard box,
• old toothbrush,
• smock or plastic trash bag (Cut holes for arms and head. Use to protect clothing),
• food dye,
• and eggs

Best done in a cardboard box or outside. Dunk an old toothbrush into the dye. Hold the toothbrush 6″ to 12″ from the egg and rub your finger or a toothpick along the bristles. This will splatter the dye onto the egg and everywhere else. You will need to protect furniture, clothes, and perhaps hair. If done in blues, the egg will resemble a Robin egg.

Sponge painting

• coarse-textured sponge
• food dye
• eggs

Dunk a coarse-textured sponge into the dye and dab it onto the egg. You will need a strong concentration of dye for this to work. This procedure is also very messy.

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Rice speckled eggs

• small containers with lids or plastic bags
• long grain rice
• hard-cooked eggs
• food dye
• spoon
• gloves

Put about a ¼ cup of rice and ten to fifteen drops of dye into a plastic bag or a small container. Mix until rice is covered with the dye Drop your egg in and shake. The egg will be speckled when removed. Be careful not to touch the egg while in the bag, and remove it carefully to prevent smudging. You will need to add more dye before doing another egg.

Variations:

Use dried beans, barley, popcorn, or lentils.

Dye the eggs a light color before speckling.

FAQ

Have fun decorating Easter eggs

Dyeing Easter eggs is a fun and easy way to add some color and pizzazz to your holiday celebration. By following the simple steps outlined above, you can create beautiful eggs that will impress your family and friends. So get creative, have fun, and enjoy this timeless Easter tradition!

If looking for more ideas, see “14 Unique Easter Egg Designs That Will Let You Ditch the Boring Dye Kit.”

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