Do-it-yourself is fun for children, but also for parents: especially when it allows us to make space in the recycling bin, which is always too full.
Ladybug
We invite a little luck, by tinkering an adorable ladybug with boxes of eggs. This DIY is very simple and children will love painting the shell of their lucky beast: red and black, for a more classic creature, or all colors!
In addition to the cardboard, you will also need a pair of scissors, acrylic paint, a glue gun, wiggly eyes and pipe cleaners for the legs.
Caterpillar
Before the butterfly, there was of course the caterpillar, and this one can also be colorful and adorable. To make it from an egg carton, you will need a brush, acrylic paint, liquid glue and two small wiggly eyes.
First, cut an egg carton into several rows, then paint the shells. Then fix the small eyes with the white glue and use a pipe cleaner to make antennae.
You could also decide to separate each of the shells before joining them with paper clips. The caterpillar will then have greater mobility and it will be, if desired, longer.
- WikiHow
Gift boxes
These pretty gift boxes are perfect for hiding chocolate surprises! Decorate them with paint and ribbons, and place colored straw inside.
Bouquet of flowers
As Brel sang, “Flowers are perishable. Fortunately, these are not!
Cut out the egg carton shells so that you have several flower patterns. Paint them different colors with acrylic paint. To make the heart, use real buttons, which you will attach with the pipe cleaner that will serve as a rod, or transform the cardboard tips of the egg carton into a daffodil heart. For a more realistic effect, you can cover the pipe cleaner stems with green adhesive paper.
- Intimate Weddings
Piggy Bank
Teaching your children the value of money is good. And, to motivate them a little more, why not make this superb pig with them, 100% unique and handmade! break. Three days will therefore be necessary to achieve it: the time of a long weekend, what!
- You will need flour and water (to make the glue),flyers, tissue paper, an egg carton, white glue and a balloon.
- First inflate the balloon and, using white glue, fix the shells (previously cut out) so as to make the pig's legs and nose. Cover the pig with paper mache. Let dry overnight.
- Add some water to white glue and glue the pieces of tissue paper. Kids love this step (although they'll probably need help with the paws and nose). Let dry overnight.
- The next day, with a knife, cut a slit in the back of the pig. You should then be able to remove the ball. You can also cut a circle under the piggy bank, and close it with a cork.
In the Little Red House
Chicks
What's cuter than a little chick? Your children will love making these: we bet their room will turn into a real chicken coop! You will need a carton of eggs, paint and brush, building boards and a black marker.
First cut out the shells from the cardboard and paint them. Calimero enthusiasts could also paint their little chick black. Cut out small beaks, wings and legs from the construction paper, and glue them (inside the shell). Close the shells with glue. With the marker, we draw the eyes. Here it is!
- My Kid Craft
Crocodile
This DIY is a bit longer, but it's not that complicated. You will need two cartons of eggs, two toilet paper rolls, acrylic paint (green and red), eyes, scissors and hot glue.
- First, remove the top of the first egg carton: what's left will be your crocodile's body. Then cut the second cardboard box and separate the bottom from the top: this will be the mouth of our creature. Paint the body and head green, the inside of the mouth red.
- Cut the two rolls of paper in half, and paint them green too. While the paint dries, make teeth by cutting a zigzag strip of white paper.
- When the paint is completely dry, glue the legs to the body with hot glue. Also attach teeth, jaw and head. Finish by gluing the eyes to the head.
Kixcereal
Garden
It might not be a DIY, but did you know you can use egg cartons to sprout plants? Nothing could be simpler: a little potting soil, seeds, water, light and love! When everything has germinated, you can plant them directly in the ground: the cardboard will decompose on its own. Easy and ecological! Not to mention that kids love growing plants.
