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Egg Carton Caterpillar

kids craft project - make caterpillars from recycled egg cartons

This easy and inexpensive kids craft allows children to enjoy painting while recycling at the same time.

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Materials:

  • One Pipe cleaner (Chenille Stem)
  • Ultra fine black marker
  • Two 7mm googly eyes
  • Tacky glue or Elmer's glue
  • Egg Carton - the cardboard type - Not the Styrofoam type
  • Acrylic paint or Washable kids paint*
  • Paint brush
  • Optional: Q-tips and/or five 1/2" pompoms

*Acrylic paint will give you a more complete coverage with one coat but washable kids paint will also work fine and will clean up easier.

1) Cut a strip of 6 cups from the egg carton being sure to keep them attached in a straight line as pictured.  This is a grownups job.

2)Turn the cups upside-down and paint the side which was originally the outside of the egg carton.  Have fun with the paint and experiment with different colors and designs.  If you wish to have polka dots on your caterpillar, dip the tip of a Q-tip in paint then dot the caterpillar with it. Re-load your Q-tip with paint after every two or three dots.  Let the paint dry completely.

3) Decide which end you would like to be the head of your caterpillar and poke two holes close together in the top of that section.  Use a pen or whatever you have handy to make the holes.

4) Cut a 5" piece of pipe cleaner and place the rest of the pipe cleaner aside for another project.

5) From the underside of your caterpillar head, poke one end of the pipe cleaner into one of the holes you made and poke the other end of the pipe cleaner into the second hole.  On the right side of the head, pull the two ends so they are approximately even.  Curl the two ends of the pipe cleaner as desired.

6) Glue the two eyes onto the front of the caterpillar.  It is easiest to apply the glue directly to the caterpillar and then stick the eyes into the dots of glue.

7) Using the marker, draw a mouth on your caterpillar and he is complete.

Optional:  Glue one pompom on top of each of the egg carton cups.

 

Printable Instructions

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