How to Reuse Egg Shells to Make Fun Easter Crafts

If you garden, don't throw your egg shells away. They can be composted and help fertilize the soil. If you have a flock of chickens, grind them up and the chickens will eat the egg shells as a source of calcium. They love them really!

If you don't garden, or raise chickens, you can still reuse egg shells to make art! Show your kids that items can be reused and recycled. Recycling and reusing can be fun! If your kids enjoy nature crafts, this is sure to be a big hit.

Step 1 - Coloring the Eggshells

The first step is to gather the used eggshells. Rinse them to remove the egg. Set them aside on a towel to dry.

It is time to color the eggshells. Coloring with food coloring produces bright beautiful colors. To do this put water in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of white vinegar. Add 15 drops of food coloring of choice. Place the shells in the food coloring. When they reach the desired shade, dry them on a towel. More information at: How to Color Easter Eggs with Food Coloring.

Alternatively, you can reuse shells from already colored Easter eggs, but if this is done the shells will be white on one side, so you will have to be careful to place the shell color-side-out as the craft is made.

Step 2 - Natural Food Dyes to Color Eggshells

If you prefer, you can use natural dye to color the eggs. Natural dyes will not produce the bright colors that food coloring will. Instead, natural food dyes produce soft pastel colors. Natural food dyes are the perfect compliment to nature crafts.

To dye the eggshells using natural food dye, place 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Add approximately 1 cup of food for the desired color.

Red - Onions

Blue - Cabbage

Yellow - Pomegranate

Brown - Black Walnut hulls, coffee or tea

Simmer the food in the vinegar water for 30 minutes. Strain the food out of the dye. Soak the eggs in the food dye until they reach the desired color.

For more information on how to do this and more food choices for dying eggs naturally, see: How to Dye Eggshells with Food

The photo shows eggs dyed with black walnut hulls. They produces a warm, "wood" color.

Step 3 - Breaking the Eggshells into Small Pieces

Place the eggshells in a plastic back and smash them. In the photo the colors were kept separate, but you can mix them up if you wish. I try to keep the shells from breaking smaller than a raisin.

Step 4 - Glue the Eggshells

The last step is to let kids glue the tiny pieces to a cut out egg form. I used cardboard from the recycle bin to form an Easter card, but you can use styrofoam, paper, cardboard, CDs, egg cartons, plastic boxes, or anything else you desire to glue the eggshells. Cover the base chosen with liquid glue and let the kids arrange the tiny bits of shell mosaic style.

These make great Easter gifts for teachers, family and friends!