Easter will be here before you know it, so it's a good idea to start exploring fun ideas for decorating eggs and throwing Easter egg hunts. Since eggs are pricey these days, we've rounded up some creative alternatives to dyeing Easter eggs that the whole family will enjoy. They look like the real thing, too!
Below, you'll find a range of materials that can easily replace eggs along with some helpful tips from the crafting pros at Good Housekeeping. Plus, we're sharing a few other unique egg-related DIYs to make your celebration the best one yet. You and your family will get a kick out of any of these Easter crafts.
Foam Eggs
If you have a stash of foam eggs from an old craft project, put them to use this Easter to DIY beautiful decor. All you have to do is cut strips of patterned fabric (about 8 inches long is ideal) using fabric scissors (or a rotary cutter), a self-healing cutting mat, and a ruler.
You'll then paint each strip with white school glue and wrap it around each egg. Finally, continue overlapping strips until the entire egg is covered and trim any excess fabric. It will take several hours for your eggs to dry completely.
Paper Mâché Eggs
With paper mâché eggs, you can create all sorts of eye-catching designs and decorations that look just like the real thing. This lightweight alternative is super easy to hand paint. Plus, you won't have to worry about cracking them while crafting.
If you're looking for a craft that doesn't involve dyeing this year, try our tulip paper eggs. First, you'll need some crepe paper. Paint your paper mâché eggs with craft paint so that it matches your paper. Then, cut flower petals from the paper, layering and cutting multiple sheets at once for efficiency.
Stretch the petals gently to add natural dimension and hot glue them to the base of the egg, overlapping to fill gaps. Wrap a length of floral wire with floral tape and insert one end of the wire through the bottom of the egg flower. Apply extra glue to secure it in place. Finally, attach green crepe paper leaves.
Potato Dyed Eggs
Considering the price of eggs, crafters are likely looking for new materials this Easter. Why not go for something of a similar shape and lower price? Once you put your dyed potatoes in an Easter basket, they look just like a bunch of extra-large dyed eggs. This blogger suggests using white or gold potatoes for the best results, but you can also consider baby potatoes if crafting with kids.
Get the tutorial at A Sparkle of Genius »
Paper Eggs
Ditch eggs all together and grab a pair of scissors and some construction paper. Whether you draw on eggs with markers or crayons or decide to paint them with watercolors, paper eggs are an easy way to get in the Easter spirit with little crafting supplies.
Wooden Eggs
Decorate wooden eggs with dye, paint, markers, stickers, or any of your other favorite crafting supplies. Don't want to get your hands dirty? No problem! Our wooden balloon dipped eggs are super simple to DIY without any mess—and they're great for kids since they can't break.
To achieve this look, all you have to do is choose your favorite color balloon, cut off the end (we suggest using a 9-inch balloon), and slip it onto a wooden egg. This dye-free—and egg-free—alternative looks like a real dip-dyed egg.
Ceramic Eggs
Ceramic eggs are probably the closest you'll get to natural eggs, mostly because they crack just like the real thing. You can purchase plain white ceramic eggs or colored ceramic eggs like the ones pictured. Regardless of what you choose, you'll be able to decorate or dye these eggs just as you normally would.
Painted Egg Rocks
Why not craft with materials you can find right in your backyard? Hunt for rocks that are just the right shape, paint them with your favorite colors and patterns, and use them to decorate around the house.
Laura Millar (she/her) is a freelance lifestyle journalist for Good Housekeeping. She holds a degree in Film, TV & Media from the University of Michigan, and was previously the assistant lifestyle editor for GH, where she covered home design. Her byline has appeared in NBC's TODAY.com, PEOPLE, Real Simple, and Business Insider.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
