One of my favourite Easter traditions as a kid was dyeing eggs for display. But how do you dye eggs for Easter? In this post I'll show you 24 different ways you can dye and decorate eggs for Easter. Whether you have white, brown, plastic, foam or wooden eggs doesn't really matter, there's easy Easter dyeing ideas for all types of eggs.
HOW TO PREPARE EGGS BEFORE DYEING
If you're using real eggs, white or brown, you'll need to make sure they're hard boiled and cooled down before dyeing them. To hard boil eggs place them into a saucepan with enough water to cover all the eggs. Turn on the heat and let the water come to the boil for 3 minutes then turn off the heat, but leave the eggs in the saucepan for another 10-15 minutes so they continue cooking. Then remove the eggs and allow them to cool completely before dyeing them.
If you want to eat the eggs after dyeing make sure you're using natural food dyes or food colouring. The eggs should be stored in the fridge and consumed within one week.
Once your eggs are prepared you'll also need to make sure you have all the supplies needed before you start dyeing them {trust me you don't want to be rushing around looking for stuff with dyes left on the table and toddlers on the loose}. For lots of the egg dyeing methods mentioned in this post you'll need plastic gloves, food dye {or alternative}, vinegar and an egg carton {or egg cup} to sit the eggs in after they're dyed.
CAN YOU DYE BROWN EGGS?
Here in Australia the majority of eggs available at the supermarket, and eggs laid by backyard chickens, are brown. The good news is that although white eggs will give the best result when dyed, it's definitely possible to dye brown eggs. In fact most egg dyeing methods will just give a slightly duller appearance on brown eggs, however you can usually combat this by soaking the eggs for longer so they absorb more colour.
HOW TO DYE EASTER EGGS: 24 EASY WAYS TO DECORATE EGGS FOR EASTER
How gorgeous do these tape resist eggs look? Red Ted Art proves brown eggs can definitely be dyed beautifully with these eggs dyed using food dye, vinegar and scotch magic tape to create pretty patterns. Find out how to make your own tape resist dyed egg here.
One of the simplest ways to dye brown eggs for Easter is with paint pens. The kids can draw lots of different designs to turn plain brown eggs into bright Easter eggs like Rhythms of Play did.
HOW TO DYE EGGS WITH FOOD DYE
The easiest way to dye eggs for Easter is to use food dye, vinegar and water. To get a more vibrant colour use white eggs and concentrated gel food colouring. Mix the food dye, vinegar and water together into a bowl and dip the eggs in with tongs to soak {you'll find detailed instructions at The Best Ideas for Kids}. If you're colouring eggs with young children, put the egg inside a whisk so it's easier for them to dip the egg without accidentally dropping it.
Food colouring can also be used to make fun ombre eggs. You'll need to dip the eggs in a shallow container so the dye doesn't cover the entire egg, a plastic egg carton works well. Follow the instructions at Catholic Icing to make your own.
Another fun way to use food colouring is to make drip dyed eggs. Instead of soaking the eggs in food colouring, drip different colours onto them using pipettes. Follow the full instructions at Picklebums.
HOW TO TIE DYE EGGS FOR EASTER
Tie dyeing is a way to create different coloured patterns on fabric by tying the fabric together when adding dyes. It's traditionally used when dyeing clothes to create spiral, lined and splotchy designs with bright colours. The same dyeing method can be used to dye eggs using a variety of fabrics.
The easiest way to tie dye eggs is to use paper towel, Make sure you use thick paper towel and wrap it tightly around the egg to get the best effect. Full instructions can be found at Messy Little Monsters.
For an even better tie dye effect wrap eggs with cheesecloth or muslin. For full instructions visit Amanda's Cookin.
Another fun way to tie dye eggs without using food dye is to use tissue paper. Wrap the eggs in different coloured strips of tissue paper and spray with water. Full instructions at Kimspired DIY. Please note tissue paper dyed eggs are not edible.
While it isn't proper tie dyeing, another way to get a patterned egg using fabric is to dye eggs with silk. Pick out a brightly coloured or pattered piece of silk fabric and you can transfer the design onto the egg by boiling it. Follow the step by step instructions at Craft Bits. Silk dyed eggs are not edible.
HOW TO DYE EGGS WITH OIL AND WATER
To achieve a speckled egg look dye white eggs with food colouring, water and oil. The oil creates little speckles and blotches where the dye won't stick to the egg. Get full instructions to create your own at Messy Little Monster.
HOW TO COLOUR EGGS WITH NATURAL DYES
Lots of vegetables and spices can be used to make organic dyes that give a lovely colour without any potential nasty ingredients. Most of the vegetables will need to be boiled or soaked for a few hours to make a strong enough dye, or you can use powdered forms like ground tumeric, chilli powder, beetroot powder or cabbage powder to make the process a lot quicker.
White eggs are the best for dying with natural dyes as they will give the most vibrant result. These eggs have been dyed using spinach, cabbage, chilli powder, turmeric, blueberries and coffee powder. Follow the instructions at Craft Bits to make your own.
Natural dyes can also be used, the same as store bought food dye, to create ombre eggs. Twitchetts made these ombre eggs with beet powder, ground tumeric and blueberries.
Brown eggs can also be dyed using natural food dyes, the result will just be slightly duller and the eggs will need to soak longer to absorb the dye effectively. Messy Little Monsters used grape juice, beets, blueberries, spinach and red cabbage to dye these brown eggs. Get the step by step instructions here.
HOW TO DYE EGGS WITH KOOL-AID
Another way to create bright and still edible dyed eggs is to use Kool-Aid sachets. Kool-Aid is an American drink mix made from various fruit flavours. This process doesn't need any vinegar and still creates bright, vibrant eggs {recommended to use white eggs}. See the full instructions at Kimspired DIY.
HOW TO DYE EGGS WITH COOL WHIP
If Kool-Aid doesn't take your fancy then try dyeing with cool whip. This technique creates a lovely marbled design that can be done in individual colours or multiple colours. Follow the instructions for both options at The Best Ideas for Kids.
HOW TO DYE EGGS WITH SHAVING CREAM
Dyeing eggs with shaving foam is a fun sensory process art activity kids will love. They can drip and swirl the food dye in all different directions across the shaving foam before adding the eggs. Follow the step by step instructions at Hip Homeschool Moms to create your own. Please note shaving cream eggs are not edible.
OTHER FUN WAYS TO DECORATE EGGS FOR EASTER
If you don't want to dye eggs, but still want to make some fancy eggs for Easter, then try some of these fun egg decorating ideas. These designs are great for school aged kids and teens to create, and a great mindfulness activity for adults too. Just remember these eggs are only for decoration and won't be suitable for eating.
DECOUPAGE EGGS
I remember making decoupage eggs when I was younger and it was so much fun. Red Ted Art shares instructions for how to make napkin decoupage eggs with blown out eggs here.
GOLD DIPPED EGGS
Create these amazing gold dipped eggs without actually dipping them. The secret is to use gold liquid gilding. Follow the instructions at Frugal Mom Eh to create your own.
PAPER MACHE EGGS
These fun paper mache eggs are easy to make and a fun process art activity. Fireflies and Mudpies made her eggs using pre made paper mache eggs and then decorated them using the paper mache technique by layering tissue paper and glue.
GLITTER DIPPED EGGS
To add a little pizazz to your eggs, dye the entire egg how you want to and then add some glitter to the end for a little extra sparkle. You'll need some mod podge and loose glitter {or eco glitter}. Follow the instructions on Frugal Mom Eh to jazz up your eggs.
HOW TO MAKE SPIN ART EGGS
Spin art is such a fun, interactive way to decorate eggs. It's simple to do and creates a beautiful unique marbled finish, without any mess. You'll need washable paint and a salad spinner. Follow our instructions for making spin art Easter eggs here.
HOW TO DECORATE EGGS WITH CRAYONS
Decorating eggs with crayons needs to be done while the boiled eggs are still hot, so it is not suitable for young children. To create the speckled look eggs above you need to use crayon shavings {make them with a pencil sharpener}. Follow the instructions at Mama Smiles to make your own.
Another way to decorate eggs with crayons is to draw designs onto the eggs while they're hot and the crayons will melt to the egg. For this you'll need good quality crayons like Crayola ones to make sure they melt properly. Head over to Mombrite to see how they created their melted crayon eggs.
HOW TO DECORATE MINECRAFT SPAWN EGGS
If your kids love Minecraft as much as mine do then they'll go crazy for these Minecraft spawn eggs. These can be decorated using Sharpies or paint pens. STL Motherhood have created a mob chart with spawn egg designs for 59 different animals to help you decorate.
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