Egg carton caterpillars and other bugs

by Krista In this spring of endless rain, I found myself looking for new and creative crafts for the lils that would not only occupy their time while they were creating them, but would be useful to them after the craft was completed. Now that the weather has gotten really hot, we find that we need to retreat inside for a few hours a day when it is really scorching to get a break from the heat. This is a craft that my lils enjoy both making and playing with, and one that they ask to make time and time again.

Supplies: egg carton (the cardboard variety) scissors stickers, markers and paint pipe cleaners

Cut the egg cartons in half, so you have two - six-egg-long "bugs". (or cut twelve - one-egg bugs!)

Let the lils decorate with the paint/markers/stickers

Poke holes in the sides and run the pipe cleaners through them. We cut the pipe cleaners in half and ran them right through the egg carton, so each pipe cleaner became two legs. Young children may require help threading them through.

Poke holes on the front for antennae, and feed pipe cleaners through there too.

Voila! You have bugs. The lils love them, and play with them until they fall apart.

Krista is married to Willy and mom to a 4 year old son, Woo, and 2.5 year old daughter, Goose. You can find her at Life in the Hutch or on Twitter @kgraydonald