Does your family enjoy dying Easter eggs? While this tradition may be a little more stressful for parents, it’s definitely one that kids love! As a child I always looked forward to dying Easter eggs, making each one colorful and unique and my own.

As an adult, I still find joy in creating. It’s definitely a little more stressful trying to monitor 4 little children as well, but there is a definite joy in creating beautiful things, and Easter eggs are no exception! While you can stick with the traditional way, you definitely don’t have to limit yourself to that! There are so many creative ways to make your eggs beautiful! (Keep in mind that some of these eggs may not be safe to eat afterwards!)

*Hot glue. Such a great craft tool, and Easter egg-dying is no exception! Once your eggs are hard-boiled, use hot glue to create various patterns on your eggs. Let them sit in your egg dye, and once dried, peel off the glue to reveal your creatively styled eggs!

*Shaving cream. This is a great method if the smell of vinegar makes you sick and if you don’t love the idea of having cups full of dye at the table! Simply put a large pile of shaving cream on a plate (or you can use whipped cream if you’re worried about a soapy taste, which is a possibility if you plan on eating the eggs later!). Add a few drops of vibrant food coloring and use a toothpick or butter knife to swirl the colors around to create a fun marbled look. Then, simply roll the eggs around in your colored cream and let them dry for about 20 minutes.

*Baking soda. Mix baking soda and tempura paint and put them at the bottom of your egg-dying containers (use one for each color). Place one hard boiled egg in each container and let your child pour vinegar into each container. Not only will you have eggs with a cool paint texture, but your kids will LOVE watching the reaction between the vinegar and baking soda!

*Crayon shavings. Take some crayon shavings and sprinkle them on your freshly hard-boiled eggs, or roll the eggs on a plate of crayon shavings- the egg will be hot enough to melt the crayon shavings and will create a lot of colorful patterns!

*Dinosaur eggs. If you have little boys, they will LOVE this. Dye your eggs the regular way, but before placing them in the dye, gently hit them against the counter so that the egg is slightly cracked all over (so do this step after you hard-boil them and before you dye them). Stick them in the dye, and let them sit overnight in the fridge. The next morning, remove the shell and you’ll have really cool, beautiful tiny “dinosaur” eggs!

*Rubber bands. Use the same technique you would for normal egg dying, but before you place your eggs in the dye, wrap them in a few rubber bands to create some cool lines when your egg is dyed and the rubber bands are removed!

*Silk ties. Did you know you can dye eggs using 100% silk ties? If you have a couple ties lying around, this is a great option! (Or of course, take a fun trip to the thrift store!). Deconstruct the tie and tie it around the egg with a twisty tie. Make sure the pattern is on the inside, facing the egg. You’ll want to tie the egg at the opposite end of whatever part will be on display, whether that be horizontal or vertical. Be sure the fabric is smoothed out and it’s tied nice and tight. Then you’ll cover them again using some fabric that’s light and thin- an old dishcloth or a pillowcase, for example. Get them wrapped and secured with a twisty tie, and then put all your eggs in a pot. Cover with water, add ¼ cup of vinegar and bring them to a boil. After about 20 minutes, pull them out, strain them in a colander, and let them cool. Remove the fabric and admire your beautiful eggs!

Have you tried any of these methods before? What’s your favorite way to get crafty with Easter eggs? I’d love to hear all about it!