Using recycled materials is a great way to celebrate Spring. Kids of all ages can make this great project for Mother’s Day, Earth Day or even Easter or Valentine’s Day. It’s a versatile craft that will turn items from your recycling bin into cute DIY home decor. With this craft you can turn an empty egg carton into a flower garden for some colorful flowers made of tissue paper!
Let’s get started so you can make your own egg carton flower garden craft with tissue paper flowers.
- Table Of Contents:
Why You’ll Love This Flower Garden Craft
This craft transforms ordinary egg cartons into a vibrant garden masterpiece, offering a perfect blend of hands-on fun and developmental benefits for your little ones. Get ready to cultivate a love of crafting and watch their imaginations flourish with every whimsical flower and leaf they create!
Materials:
- Egg carton
- Plastic straws, paper straws or pipe cleaners
- Tissue paper
- Green paint
- Paint brush
- Pen
- Gluestick or tape
- Scissors
- Green construction paper
- Exacto knife
- Pom poms
Instructions:
Step 1)
Cut an egg carton to give you 3 sections (or as many as you’d like), paint the egg cartons green, then let it dry fully.
Step 2)
An adult should use a sharp pair of scissors, a box cutter or an exacto-knife to cut a small ‘x’ into the egg cups so your flower stems have something to go into.
Step 3)
Make the flowers using yellow tissue paper. Cut a long thin rectangle from the tissue paper then slowly wrap it. As you’re wrapping, make sure to fold it a little to make the creases of the flowers.
Step 4)
Attach the flowers to the plastic straws with glue or tape. Instead of plastic straws you could also use paper straws or pipe cleaners.
Step 5)
Print the template for the leaves, and cut out the template pieces.
Step 6)
Trace the template pieces onto the green paper and cut them out. Draw the leaf details using a pen.
Step 7)
Attach the leaves to the straws.
Step 8)
Push the bottom of your flower straws into the egg carton holes you pre-made.
Step 9)
Lastly, finish off the flower garden by adding some pom pom balls to finish decorating the egg carton.
Video Instructions
If you prefer watching video instructions, check out the YouTube channel for CraftyKidsPlay! You can watch the How To Video for this Egg Carton Garden Craft here!
Template Download
Use the download button below this image to get your free PDF template to help you make leaf shapes to accompany this cute DIY project. This template is for personal use only, not for resale.
Tips & Troubleshooting
You can really experiment with how you make your tissue paper flowers to change the look of this craft and suit your materials.
If you’re finding it difficult to attach the tissue paper flower to its ‘stem’ try using tape or a different type of glue.
As you’re rolling the tissue paper flowers, create small creases and folds to make it look more like petals.
Protect your surfaces before you start painting. Put down some old newspaper or a washable tablecloth to protect your area from any paint messes. You should also consider using non-toxic paint if you’re making this craft with very young children who might put it on their hands or face. Older kids should be able to use acrylic paint on their own to paint their cardboard egg carton.
Use adult supervision during crafting and pre-poke the holes in the top of your egg carton garden before you give it to the kids. For very young children, you may also want to pre-cut small craft pieces like the leaf stem templates.
Variation Ideas
This flower garden craft is very versatile and you can change it up in a lot of different ways. Use green plastic straws, paper straws, pipe cleaners or even popsicle sticks as the flower stems for this fun craft.
As an adhesive, you can use a glue stick, hot glue gun or even tape to attach the top of the flower tissue paper to the stem.
You can also get creative with how you design your tissue paper flowers. You can make the petals thinner and smaller by cutting single-layer strips of tissue paper. If you’re using pipe cleaners, you can cut small squares of tissue paper and layer them, then poke the pipe cleaner through the center of your stacked squares and fluff it up for a more delicate-looking flower.
You can make the egg carton base as large or small as you’d like. You don’t need to limit yourself to just 3 egg carton pieces.
Don’t have any tissue paper? You could experiment with using cupcake liners for the flower petals.
Benefits of This Flower Craft For Kids
Fine Motor Skills Development:
Cutting the egg carton, wrapping tissue paper, and tracing and cutting out template pieces all involve intricate hand movements. This craft aids in the development of fine motor skills, enhancing children’s control and coordination.
Creativity and Imagination:
Building a flower garden allows kids to unleash their creativity. From choosing colors to designing the flowers and leaves, this craft provides a canvas for imaginative expression.
Following Instructions:
The step-by-step process of this craft guides children in following instructions in a sequential manner. This skill is essential for cognitive development and helps improve attention to detail.
Tactile Exploration:
Manipulating different materials, such as egg cartons, tissue paper, and pom pom balls, offers a tactile sensory experience. This hands-on activity encourages exploration and engagement with various textures.
Attention to Detail:
Drawing leaf details and adding pom pom ball decorations encourage attention to detail. This aspect of the craft hones observational skills and helps children focus on smaller elements within a larger project.
Final Thoughts
Let your child’s imagination bloom as they cultivate their own miniature masterpiece. With the magic of crafting you can take a leftover egg carton and some little flowers made of tissue paper to make your own flower garden craft at home or in school!
Stick around Crafty Kids Play for more great craft ideas, sensory activities and free printables for kids.
