Egg Update

After a request - here's how we did the eggs. After prepping the color dyes (any will do - traditional food coloring dilutes or egg dye kits) and hard-boiling the eggs,

1 - We dye each egg it's first base color. Usually the lighter colors work best, graduating to the darker colors on subsequent layers.
2 - Allow egg to dry.
3 - Drizzle or "paint" egg with rubber cement. Can make patterns but we like the "randomness" approach.
4 - Allow rubber cement to dry. (We usually hold the "ends" of the egg and blow like crazy - it may not help - but it keeps the kiddos occupado!)
5 - Dip egg in another color.
6 - allow egg to dry.

We usually do another round of rubber cement and dye too. Don't remove the first rubber cement if you decide to do this.

Do not peel or rub off any of the rubber cement until the eggs are dry, or the colors will smear. When dry the rubber cement just peels or rubs away. The dyes also change color as you dip other colors in, just keep that in mind.

I can't take credit for this idea. But I also can't give it to who it's due either, because I don't remember where I got it from. We did it for the first time probably 5 years ago. I think it might have been on Martha Stewart's program, but I'm not sure.

This does take some time, with all the drying in between rounds, but it's also fun to see them experiment with colors and patterns and can be used as a colors object lesson. With younger children you can talk about mixing colors, like "the egg is yellow and now we are dipping it in blue, what color will it be?" and with older kids talking about patterns, symmetry, balance and complementary colors, etc.

I try not to let the talk stifle their creativity.