Decorate your classroom with an array of monochromatic egg carton crafts! Have each student choose their favourite colour and experiment with lightening and darkening a single colour. This activity is a perfect match to many Visual Art Ontario curriculum connections.
What you need:
- 2 egg cartons per student (24-count)
- Scissors
- coloured paint (student choice)
- white paint
- paintbrush
- string
- 1 pen (to poke holes)
Step 1: Cut!
First, you’ll want to carefully cut the egg carton into individual cups to be painted as part of your mobile. Once that is completed, follow by cutting the flat part of the carton lid into two pieces across the length.
Step 2: Glue!
Next, using the two cut pieces from the lid, cross one piece over the other and apply glue to keep them together in the centre.
Step 3: Paint!
Allow students to each choose a base colour for their egg carton crafts. Paint at least 4 carton cups with the darkest shade of the colour. Add a dollop of white paint to lighten the shade, then paint another 4 carton cups. Have students repeat this process until all the cups have been painted. Allow the cups to fully dry before moving onto the next step.
Step 4: Poke!
Use the pen to poke small holes in the centre of each carton cup. This will allow for the string to pull through while hanging.
Step 5: String!
Cut the string into 4 pieces. Thread the string through the cups, starting with the darkest colour, then moving onto increasingly lighter colour. Make sure to secure a knot when threading each cup to prevent it from falling through the egg carton crafts. Repeat this until you have all 4 strings completed.
Step 6: Assemble!
Lastly, secure the ends of the string to the top portions of the mobile with a top knot above the lid pieces. Make sure to hang the egg carton crafts around the class to show off the eggs-cellent creations!
