There are certain holiday traditions that always sound like they’ll be a heartwarming, fun way to spend time with your kids … until you actually do them with your kids. Decorating Christmas cookies comes to mind (shudders). As does pumpkin carving (cue rising blood pressure). It’s only once you’re all in on the project that you realize that you’re doing all the work and they’re making all the mess (and having all the fun).
Coloring Easter eggs used to feel this way to me, too, until I tried a new way of dying eggs last year thanks to a looming Bedtime Math deadline. I’ve seen it called Tie-Dyed eggs, Erupting Eggs, and Volcano Eggs, but let’s just call it genius. Why?
1. It’s best done outside, so whatever mess gets made just magically washes away with the next spring drizzle.
2. You probably already have every thing you need (other than a few extra dozen eggs), so you don’t need to buy yet another one of those egg decorating kits. Hands up if your junk drawer contains a lifetime supply of handy-dandy wire egg lifters.
3. You can brag to anyone that will listen about your crazy good multitasking parental skills. It’s a craft, a holiday tradition, and a science experiment all (egg)rolled into one.
4. You end up with some really cool Easter eggs.
Convinced? Here’s what you’ll need:
- A dozen hardboiled eggs (or more)
- Baking soda
- Food coloring
- Paintbrushes
- Vinegar
- Cups or small bowls (you’ll need one for each color you want to make)
- Medium clear container (a tall plastic take-out container works great, as does a glass liquid measuring cup)
Measure 2 teaspoons of baking soda into each cup or bowl. Add a few drops of food coloring and a few drops of water to make a semi-thick paste. A 3/4 teaspoon of water gave us the best results, but feel free to play around with your ratios and get all scientific and such. It needs to be thick enough that it will adhere to the egg, but not so thick that you can’t paint it on the egg. Paint the eggs as desired and set them in the empty egg cartons.
Pour vinegar into the clear container until it is half full. Take your painted eggs and vinegar outside. (You could theoretically do this inside, but do it inside some sort of tray or in the sink in case the vinegar erupts over the side of the container.)
Drop an egg into the vinegar one at a time and watch the paint erupt! Once the fizzing has subsided, remove the egg and allow it to dry. And that’s it! Now let’s just say a little prayer that we won’t be hiding eggs in snow drifts this year!
For more fun Easter and spring ideas, be sure to follow my Easter Pinterest Board.
Follow Angie Six {just like the number}’s board Easter on Pinterest.
