Easter is such a lovely spring holiday when everything seems to be coming back to life. It's also a chance for us to teach our kids about giving new life to some basic items around the house through re-purposing.
"Reuse" is one of the pillars of sustainability and we love using it in our stores and households. From using re-purposed wood on our floors to giving customers a chance to refill their cleaners, we are all about finding value in what we already have and creating less waste in our society.
Kids learn a lot from the lifestyle of their parents, so instilling these values in your children early is a great way to lead them down the "green" path. Kids also love crafting, so there's definitely an opportunity to bring the two together and Easter fun is too good to pass up.
Here are so Eco-Easter crafts that we really like and are looking to try will the grand kids this year:
Pretty Napkin Holders
Most families take the opportunity to meet and celebrate over the Easter break, often around a nice, home-cooked meal. Brighten up the table with some pretty napkin holders made from egg cartons, paper tube, and just a little paint. The kids will definitely want to help with making these and setting the table for your festive meal!
Cut the cups from the egg carton and trim them to give them a floral shape. Then paint them with craft paint and hot glue them to rings cut from a paper towel roll. Add a couple of pretty leaves for a more "complete" look and enjoy them over and over again.
Image: Dane Tashima
Bird Seed Eggs
It's time for the kids to be the organizers of an Easter event: A Birdy's Easter Egg Hunt. First, make some bird seed eggs using bird seed, gelatin, and plastic Eco-Eggs. The exact measurements are listed below:
- 8 1/3- 8 1/2 cups bird seed
- 1/3 cup gelatin
- 1.5 cups water
- 36-38 Plastic Eco Eggs (available in-store)
Lightly grease the plastic eggs with vegetable spray and fill with the packed bird seed mixture- a teaspoon will be helpful. Once all the eggs are filled, snap them closed, chill them in the freezer for 2 hours and then remove the shaped eggs carefully from their shells. Put them into paper egg cartons to dry for a day or two. Then it's time to set up a little hunt for the spring birds, laying these eggs on tree stumps, hanging them up in trees, even patiently holding them in your hand and seeing if some friendly chickadees will come and nibble from your palm.
Egg Shell Garden
Literally make your eggs a source of "green" inspiration by using shells as planters for some fresh sprouts. Carefully let each child draw a face on their own egg shell, fill it partially with soil, add some small, quick growing seeds like catnip or watercress, water them and watch it grow! The kids will love checking in everyday on the status of their egg's "hair" growth. Later if you'd like, you can directly plant the egg shells with their sprouts in the garden or a bigger pot since it's biodegradable and actually adds important nutrients to the soil.
Egg Carton Chicks
These cute chicks can be a cute way to store painted eggs, little treats, or even an alternative to a plastic egg in an egg hunt! They are very easy to make and really don't require more than an egg carton, paint, a little card stock paper, and glue.
For more detailed instructions, visit Paper Plate and Plane.
Felt Easter Baskets
Does it feel weird buying new Easter baskets every year for your kids to go "hunting" with? This year, make a point of making them together and personalizing them to suit their individual styles. The base of this craft is a food-grade bucket, like what you would get ice cream or margarine in. To make it even more sustainable, instead of using new felt, re-purpose other fabric that you have around the house, like an old receiving blanket or old t-shirt that doesn't fit anymore. Having a personalized basket will make the thrill of the hunt even more appealing.
For more detailed instructions, click here.
Image: Dane Tashima
Tag us in your Eco-Easter creations to be featured in our social media!
We're looking forward to seeing your sustainable crafts and would like to wish everyone a very happy and green Easter Season!