Today’s book is A Surprise for Mrs. Bunny  by Charlotte Steiner. This is an oldie and a goodie!

Storytime Activity Guide:

Materials:

(If you need any materials, please let me know and I will put together a box for you to pick up)

Egg Carton

Tempera or Craft Paints

Paint Brushes

Water Cups

Sharpies or Oil Pastels

Easter Egg Dye

Vinegar

Baking Soda

Small bowls or cups for dye

Rubber Bands

White Crayon

Eggs

Prep:

Cover table with tablecloth

Lay newspaper or paper towel at each child’s spot

Set up supplies in easy reach

Eggs: Choose to hardboil, leave raw or blow the eggs out

Open Ended Project: Painted Egg Cups

Put out paints and the bottom half of an egg carton or two. Let kids paint the egg carton, covering up all words and print. When dry, cut the cups apart and add another layer of color and design using sharpies, oil pastels or more paint and a smaller brush. Glue two cups together, back to back, trimming the bottom edge so it sits flat. Now you’re ready to display your dyed eggs! 

Art Activity #1: Volcano Egg Dyeing

Mix about 2T of baking soda with 1T of egg dye to make a thick paste. If the color isn’t very bright, add a few drops of food coloring. Use brushes to put the paste onto the eggs. This is messy! Make sure you are outside or on a waterproof surface. Fill a few jars half full with vinegar, deep enough for the egg to submerge. Lower the paste-covered eggs, one at a time, into a jar of vinegar and watch the fizzing reaction! Remove from the vinegar and let dry.

For more photos and info about this visit: Housing a Forest to see it in action!

Art Activity #2: Rubber Bands on Eggs

Wrap a few rubber bands tightly around easter eggs, crossing them over eachother. Submerge in dye and leave for about 30 minutes. Remove from dye, rest on a paper towel or rag to let dry and then unwrap the rubber bands to find the stripes the dye made.

Art Activity #3: White Crayon on Eggs

This is a great way to decorate hard boiled eggs. The amount of pressure required to draw with a white crayon can crack a blown egg, and little fingers drop eggs more frequently so if it is hard boiled and it drops, you can just eat it!

Use a white crayon or oil pastel and draw, mark and color on an egg. Put it in dye and watch the oils in the crayon resist the dye! Leave it in the dye for a long time for the best contrast.

Start saving onion skins, purple cabbage leaves and beets for natural dyeing next week!

If you’re on instagram, I’d love to see what you make and do! Use #honeybeestorytimeart so I can see it too.

Thanks for encouraging a love of art and stories with your children, it means a lot to me!