Egg Carton Painting Activity

This Egg Carton Painting Activity is great fun to inspire creativity, critical thinking skills, and enhance motor skills. You might find this game reminds you of that classic game of Tetris – so fun!

Egg cartons seem to be one of those items that we really don’t know what to do with when it is empty. We either stack them up and put them in storage thinking that we will use them later OR we simply throw them away because we have no use for them.

When I was growing up, my family had chickens and we would go out and collect the eggs daily and reuse the egg cartons over and over.

Things are a little bit different these days and that doesn’t seem to be the norm any longer, wouldn’t you agree!

I found this Egg Carton Painting Activity and thought it was brilliant.

Love crafts and easy DIY projects? Grab this mini activity book for more by clicking the image below – free! 👇

This fun and engaging egg carton activity will keep your kiddos entertained for hours as they learn about colors, shapes, building, counting, critical thinking and so much more.

The possibilities with this activity are literally endless.

Your kids will love the hands-on art project that quickly changes into brain-boosting fun for kids of all ages.

If you want more delightful, kid-friendly painting activities, try my Fireworks Painting Craft, How To Make Sidewalk Paint, or Fingerprint Tree.

Supplies Needed For Egg Carton Painting Activity

• Empty Paper Egg Cartons – tops and side tabs removed
• Paint – various colors of craft paint
• Paintbrush – various sizes
• Scissors
• Hot Glue

How To Make Egg Carton Painting Activity

Just follow these simple instructions to create a fun craft activity that will keep your kids busy for hours!

Step 1

Begin by removing the top and side tabs from the egg cartons. Then hot glue 3 cartons side by side together. This will establish a base for your activity. Allow to dry completely.

Step 2

With the remaining cartons, remove the top and side tabs, and cut them into various shapes as shown.

Step 3

Paint each of the various shapes with different colors, set aside, and let dry.

Step 4

Next made a design or shape on the base with each of your painted carton pieces any way you like.

Step 5

Have fun using your painted egg cartons as a puzzle, for letters and numbers or building blocks.

Egg Carton Painting Activity Recipe Notes And Tips

• The plastic cartons will not work for this activity. They are too fragile and the slick carton will not hold the paint on.

• Provide your painters with toothpicks and q-tips for more intricate designs.

• The cardboard egg cartons are going to be more difficult to cut apart so if you have small children participating in this activity, you will want to cut them apart prior to painting.

• I like to give my standard cautionary glue gun speech. 😉 It is always best to have an adult present for safety purposes especially if there are small children involved with this activity.

• Use as many egg cartons as you wish to make several bases and activity pieces. This activity will hold up well and can be used over and over again.

Variations Of Egg Carton Painting Activity To Try

• Use tissue paper and Mod Podge to cover the egg cartons if you have the supplies and the extra time.

• Glitter, glitter, glitter…..LOL!

• Try to arrange each of the smaller pieces of egg carton to cover the top of the entire base.

• Turn the base over and use the tray to play a sorting game with buttons, marbles, pom poms, paperclips or colored beads.

FAQs

Here are a few questions I see readers frequently ask.

What kind of paint is the best to use for this Egg Carton Painting Activity?

You will get the best results when painting on paper, poster board, or cardboard with Tempera Paint. Tempera paint is thick and hearty and adheres on thicker materials such as the egg cartons.

Any type of craft paint will work, so if you have something other than Tempera paint on hand, use it. Don’t go out and spend a bunch of money if you already have something on hand that will work just as well.

Can I spray paint the egg cartons?

Yes, you certainly can especially if time is an issue and you need to get it done rather quickly. Although, if possible, I highly recommend letting the kids paint the pieces – it’ll keep them busy even longer!

If you decide to spray paint the egg cartons, maybe you can let the children decorate them and put fun designs on the cartons.

Can I make the base larger than suggested?

Absolutely!!! You do what works best for you. Use dozen size or 18 count egg cartons for this activity. Glue them together to make the base as big or small as you desire. There are really no rules to this activity (my favorite kind!). 😉

Love crafts and easy DIY projects? Grab this mini activity book for more by clicking the image below – free! 👇

More Kid-Friendly Activities To Try

• Fireworks In A Jar Science Experiment
• How To Make Fluffy Slime With Only 4 Ingredients
• Easy Pet Rocks Craft Idea For Kids
• 5-Minute Non-Toxic Easy Homemade Playdough Recipe
• How To Make Outdoor DIY Puffy Paint