17+ Egg Carton Craft Ideas for Toddlers
Egg cartons are one of the best craft materials for toddlers — they’re easy to cut, fun to paint, and perfect for creating cute little animals, flowers, and pretend-play toys.
These egg carton crafts are simple, colorful, and toddler-friendly, making them great for home activities, playgroups, and preschool projects.
1. Egg Carton Caterpillar
Cut a strip of egg cups, paint them bright colors, and add googly eyes to create a cheerful caterpillar.
Pro Tip: Let toddlers dab paint with sponges instead of brushes for easier control.
2. Egg Carton Flower Garden
Each cup can be painted like a flower and glued onto craft sticks to make a mini garden display.
Pro Tip: Add pom-poms in the center for a cute “flower” look.
3. Egg Carton Ladybugs
Paint cups red, add black dots, and stick on big eyes for easy, adorable ladybugs.
Pro Tip: Use round stickers for dots if you want a no-mess version.
4. Egg Carton Turtles
A green-painted cup becomes the shell, and toddlers can attach cardboard legs and a head underneath.
Pro Tip: Let kids press fingerprints on the shell for fun “spots.”
5. Egg Carton Bumblebees
Yellow and black stripes turn an egg cup into a friendly bee with little wings.
Pro Tip: Cut wings from coffee filters for a soft, fluttery look.
6. Egg Carton Rainbow Collage
Cut egg cups into pieces and let toddlers glue them onto paper to create a textured rainbow.
Pro Tip: Sort the cup pieces by color beforehand to make it easier for younger kids.
7. Egg Carton Fish Craft
Paint cups bright colors and add paper fins and tails for cute underwater creatures.
Pro Tip: Add shiny foil scales for a sparkly finish.
8. Egg Carton Mini Boats
Paint cup sections and float them in a basin of water with a small paper sail on top.
Pro Tip: Use thicker cardstock for the sail so it stays upright longer.
9. Egg Carton Spiders
Paint the cup black and attach pipe cleaner legs for a friendly (not scary!) spider.
Pro Tip: Use larger googly eyes to make them extra adorable.
10. Egg Carton Birds in a Nest
Make small round birds using painted egg cups and place them in a paper “nest.”
Pro Tip: Shred brown paper to create a fluffy, realistic nest.
11. Egg Carton Mushrooms
Flip the cup upside down, paint it red with white dots, and glue it onto a cardboard stem.
Pro Tip: Add a touch of glitter on the dots for fairy-tale charm.
12. Egg Carton Ice Cream Cones
A painted cup becomes the scoop, glued to a paper cone for pretend-play treats.
Pro Tip: Add painted sprinkles or little beads for detail.
13. Egg Carton Dinosaurs
Use egg cups as dinosaur bodies and attach simple heads, tails, and spikes from paper.
Pro Tip: Try green and blue paints for a fun dino color palette.
14. Egg Carton Frogs
A green cup becomes the frog’s body with a paper mouth, big eyes, and a curly red tongue.
Pro Tip: Add a little lily pad cutout for an extra cute display.
15. Egg Carton Chicks
Paint egg cups yellow and add small beaks and wings for sweet baby chicks.
Pro Tip: Use fuzzy pom-poms on top for little “feathers.”
16. Egg Carton Snails
Paint a cup for the shell and add a long paper body underneath with tiny antennae.
Pro Tip: Let kids draw swirl patterns to decorate each snail shell.
17. Egg Carton Color Sorting Game
Paint egg cups in different colors and let toddlers sort pom-poms into matching cups.
Pro Tip: Use only 3–4 colors for younger toddlers to keep it simple.
18. Egg Carton Crown Pieces
Cut long strips from the carton base and let toddlers paint them into little crown decorations.
Pro Tip: Add star stickers or sequins for sparkle without mess.
Final Thoughts
Egg carton crafts are perfect for toddlers because they’re easy to handle, fun to decorate, and incredibly versatile.
With just paint, glue, and a few simple add-ons, toddlers can turn recycled materials into colorful creatures, flowers, and playful creations.
These projects are great for encouraging imagination, fine motor skills, and hands-on learning.
FAQs
1. Are egg carton crafts safe for toddlers?
Yes, just use clean cartons and supervise any cutting or gluing.
2. What paint works best on egg cartons?
Washable tempera or kid-safe acrylic paint adheres well.
3. Do cardboard and foam egg cartons both work?
Both are fine, cardboard is easier to paint, foam is more durable.
4. Can these crafts be used in classrooms?
Absolutely, egg carton crafts are budget-friendly and perfect for group activities.
5. How can I prepare egg cartons ahead of time?
Cut them into sections and pre-paint base colors to make crafting quicker for toddlers.
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