I'm so excited to color eggs with B for the first time this year! He just turned 3 and I feel like he is ready to take a pretty active roll in the activity. I bought a pretty simple kit and I was just thinking "I wonder what the best way is to go about this?"So I need YOUR HELP! Give me some tips, advice, to dos, what not to dos, and anything else you can share with me to help me make this a successful activity for all of us (By successful I mean I'm not freaking out because colored dye is spilling all over the place or fingers are stained, the eggs actually turn out, and we have fun!. Does it stain your fingers?).
I cannot remember where I saw it, but someone recommended putting the eggs in the middle of a whisk. The whisk protects the egg and your child can dip the eggs without getting their fingers dirty. I think this idea is brilliant! We are going to try it this year. Usually, our fingers are dyed for days after.
ReplyDeleteMy kids LOVE using crayons to decorate eggs. They color on them before dying them with food coloring, but rolling still-hot crayons in crayon shavings is their favorite. It's pretty low-mess, and the results are really pretty - you can see photos and read more about it on my blog:
ReplyDeletehttp://mamasmiles.com/?p=182
This will be Meghan's first year helping, too. I just planned on her fingers being dyed for days. And her wearing nothing but her paint shirt and undies. (My old shirt.)
ReplyDeleteEm is 2 1/2 and last year I got her the tie dye kit. You put a couple drops of the dye in the baggies and then she gets to squish the egg around in the baggie and it turns out really cool. All the cousins get together to dye and everyone had fun with the tie dye one as well as regular dying method. This year I decided to go ahead and get the same one again but the idea of the whisk is really good so I might try that as well.
ReplyDelete1. Plan on things getting dirty
ReplyDelete2. Cover your work surface in a plastic cloth, so it doesn't stain anything.
3. Wear clothes you don't mind being stained
4. Be patient, they will mix the colors, and it will end up being a brown blob eventually.
5. And most importantly HAVE FUN!
I saw the whisk idea too and think it is brilliant. I haven't tired it though. It might make my kids more prone to knocking the cups over. I guess i'll find out. I think putting tape or other shaped stickers on makes it fun for kids too. The reveal is exciting.
ReplyDeleteYes, I just saw the wire whisk idea in the April edition of Family Fun magazine as well. Such a great idea. I think using the whisks plus paint shirts and plastic table covers will do the trick. Also - make sure you have an equal amount of eggs for each kid, factoring in one or two dropped, cracked eggs - which always seems to happen leaving my kids in tears!
ReplyDeleteIf you have a large plastic bin (like the under the bed storage type, with short sides) use that. Line up the colors in cups or containers in the bin and put the bin on the floor so your child can easily reach and move around. Also much less risk of spilling. If the containers do spill it will all spill in the bin.
ReplyDeleteAlso don't expect your eggs to look perfect, let the kids mix the eggs in the different colors. Let them color each egg for as long or as short of time as they want...it doesn't matter if they all look grey because they were dipped in each color. Its the process and joy of the activity that matters most.
The dye usually does color the hands....but oh well eventually it goes away and its Easter season your child definately won't be the only one with colored hands.
Most importantly just have fun :)
last year i got the qtip looking things from walmart--you were supposed to be able to put on dots or lines. they were a disaster--don't waste your money! i agree with the others--it's messy! but, it's only once a year! maybe do it outside? also, my son liked to put the egg in more than one color dye!
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my blog about how we did dyed eggs this year. I even found out how to have a young toddler help.
ReplyDeletehttp://homeschoolblogger.com/mysterycollector/230/