Those brightly colored dollar store plastic eggs may seem like an affordable and convenient way to decorate for Easter but, let's face it, they'll probably get broken and end up in the trash before the season is over right?!
There are so many adorable spring crafts, decor ideas and activities out there but, like plastic eggs, they aren't always eco-friendly.
We've gathered a few of our favorite ideas and adapted them so you can create adorable seasonal crafts and yummy Easter goodies with your children AND keep the fun plastic free!
1. Easter Tree
Any craft that begins with foraging for sticks in the great outdoors is sure to be a hit with the kids! Part of the fun of creating an Easter tree is that it can become anything you want it to be, and it's a great Easter craft for all ages.
Once you've foraged a good bunch of sticks and small branches, assemble them in a mason jar.
Decorate the tree by hanging Easter themed ornaments on the branches. Try one of these ornament ideas or let your kids run wild with ideas of their own!
Consider where you want to display your Easter tree, and adapt the size of the branches and the mason jar to suit.
Keep it plastic free by using biodegradable jute twine to hang your ornaments.
2. Mason Jar Easter Animals
Who doesn't love the sweet little baby animals that come with spring time? These mason jar baby animals are sure to be a hit with the little ones.
Start with a clean, empty mason jar and use scrap paper and other craft supplies that you already have on hand to create the look of a little spring chick or baby bunny.
Encourage your kids to get creative and use their imaginations to design their mason jar animals or follow one of these great tutorials:
Avoid plastic googly eyes and make your own critter eyes with paper instead.
Paint the mason jar or fill it with unwrapped bulk candies to complete the look. If you want to avoid any extra sweets during the Easter season, fill the jar with paper or tissue paper for the same effect.
3. Natural Dyed Easter Eggs
Dying Easter eggs is a traditional favorite Easter craft. Skip the store bought egg dying kits that are full of plastic trays and toxic dyes and opt for DIY natural dyes instead!
A quick Pinterest search will bring up a whole slew of natural dye ideas and tips. This tutorial from Mommypotamus is a great place to start. She outlines straight forward recipes and steps to dye Easter eggs with every day ingredients.
Utilize mason jars to create your dyes and dip your eggs into. Here's another tutorial (complete with stunning photos of mason jars!).
Display your finished product on a shelf or as a centre piece by layering a stack of natural dyed Easter eggs inside a mason jar.
4. Easter Baking in a Jar
This is our tastiest activity on the list, and probably the simplest too!
Step into the kitchen with your kiddos and mix up a simple batch of Jars by Jodi's to die for Easter Brownies or Mini Egg Cookies, because who doesn't need more mini eggs in their life?
Jars by Jodi is a Metro Vancouver based small business that sells baking ingredients for cookies or desserts, all layered in a mason jar.
All you have to do is add the wet ingredients from your cupboards, mix it up and bake! Because most of the ingredients are pre-measured, this is a fool-proof way to get your kids involved in the kitchen this Easter!
Oh, and don't forget to ENJOY!
*All Jars by Jodi images by Alexis Lea Photography
5. Bunny Silhouette Painted Mason Jar
Painted mason jars are a popular seasonal craft. Adding a sweet little bunny silhouette to the jar makes it that much cuter!
Print and cut out a bunny silhouette to help you create this Easter craft.
Here are the simple steps to create your bunny silhouette painted mason jar:
1. Wash and dry your mason jar.
2. Tape or glue the bunny silhouette to the side of the jar.
3. Paint the mason jar - we recommend using chalk paint. Painting right over the bunny is fine!
4. Let the paint dry and then add a second coat of paint if desired.
5. Gently peel away the decal to create the bunny silhouette!
You can use your painted Easter bunny mason jars in so many different ways! Fill the jars with unwrapped bulk Easter candies and give them to the hosts at all of your Easter gatherings. Display a few empty jars in different colors on a shelf or as part of table top centrepiece.
If painting isn't your thing, just put a cute Easter sticker on a mason jar and fill the jar with goodies or decor and you're done! Topping it with a decorative reusable lid is extra icing on the cake!
*All bunny decal images by Kim Norcross for Mason Jar Merchant
Follow us on Pinterest for even more Easter craft ideas!
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