Easter Craft Ideas from our Readers

Crafts

Last year, we also made Easter greeting cards for everyone. I cut yellow ovals out of construction paper & glued them on another, different-colored piece of construction paper. I glued little orange beaks on the oval & drew eyes & stick chicken legs. We then dipped our children's hands in yellow paint & placed their hands on either side of the oval to look like little "chick" wings. -- Wendy from TN

For those moms who are Christian and looking for a craft that has to do with Lent (40 days preceding Easter)....Make a huge cross out of construction paper to hang on your kitchen wall. Write the numbers 1 through 40 on the cross in order. Each day of Lent, make a flower out of tissue paper to glue onto the corresponding number. (It's easier if you write out the numbers on your calendar. From ash Wednesday to palm Sunday is 40 days. You can look at the calendar and see what number each day is). By Easter you will have a Cross of Flowers! -- Emily from MA

Make your own Easter Basket: Get the tomato/strawberry baskets from the supermarket (the stores will usually let you have these for FREE! Just ask). Cut various lengths of paper and ribbon for the kids to weave in between the plastic, just make sure the thickness of the ribbon or paper will fit between the plastic. When the kids are done with their weaving, attach paper handle with stapler and fill with some Easter grass. -- Cris from MN

Easter Basket: One Easter I needed an extra Easter basket Not Having one, I came up with this idea. I took a medium-sized bowl and covered it with a double layer of heavy duty foil. After molding it and taking the bowl out, I crimped under the edges. Then I took a strip of foil about 3 inches wide and made the handle which I stapled across the basket. A few small ribbon bows were added some basket grass and it was ready to go. It can't be picked up by the handle but held underneath. -- Ida from MA

Knit or crochet a washcloth in an Easter color, and fill clear bottles with bath gels, salts, or bath soap. This is an Easter tradition that I developed for my toddler. She loves it. -- Shirley from ME

Swirl Easter Eggs
We fill a paper plate with shaving cream then drop in two different colors of food coloring (use several drops). Swirl the colors together then roll the egg in, remove excess cream and allow to dry. The egg will have a pretty swirl design left on it. Great for teaching color combinations too! -- Jennifer from CO

I used my hot glue gun last year to poke holes in plastic eggs. I put them over some extra icicle lights cute and cheap! -- Karen from MA

Peel your hard boiled eggs then dip them in non-toxic egg dye. It makes really cute deviled eggs and confetti Egg Salad. My husband enjoys the looks from co-workers as he bites into a whole colored egg. It looks as if he's eating the egg shell and all! -- Kym, 36, from MN

Every other year, I have an Easter egg hunt with my daughter and her friends. I came up with a good way to decorate that is a lot of fun for kids, and easy for parents to clean up.

Less Mess Easter Egg Decorating:

- Boiled Eggs, cooled
- paper/plastic disposable bowls
- ziploc plastic baggies, quart size
- lots of white glue
- dispensers of multi-colored glitter
- empty styrofoam egg crate

For every child participating in the craft, pour enough glue in each of the bowls to cover the bottom of the bowl. Pour the glitter in each of the ziploc bags. Give each child one egg to roll around in the glue. Then, they can take the egg and drop it into the glitter-filled bag. They can shake the egg until the the glitter covers the egg. Dry their eggs in the egg crate. Wait about an hour before handling. -- Christine, 37, from GA