A charming egg carton craft to make with your children.
We saved egg cartons for weeks to make these playful egg carton fish, and my son Hayes absolutely loves them.
Some hang in his room as decorations — from the doorknob and on the wall — while others have loops and become part of a simple “fishing” game using a stick as a pole. The project is easy, fun, and essentially free to make, which qualifies it as a zero-dollar DIY.
Egg Carton Craft Ideas
Why use egg cartons for crafts?
Using recycled materials for kids’ crafts teaches resourcefulness, sparks creativity, and reduces waste. Egg cartons are especially useful because their shapes work really well as fish scales and body sections.
Are egg cartons safe for crafting?
Yes. I prefer the soft cardboard cartons because they’re easy to cut and paint, but plastic or foam cartons can work too. If you use plastic, note that paint may not adhere as well, while foam paints more like cardboard. Always rinse any cartons that have food residue before crafting.
What else can you make with egg cartons?
So many possibilities. Besides fish, you can make flowers, mushrooms, caterpillars, holiday ornaments, and seasonal decorations. Egg cartons can also be used to start seedlings or even to make recycled paper. The fish are a favorite because you can turn them into an ongoing game — tie a loop on the end and “catch” them with a stick.
Materials
- Egg cartons — We saved several over a few weeks. A general rule is one carton per fish, though this varies by carton size and design.
- Paint — Any craft paint works well: tempera, acrylic, watercolors, or even leftover house paint.
- Paintbrushes — Regular brushes are fine; old toothbrushes make fun, easy-to-hold brushes for small hands and cover surfaces quickly.
- Glue — Hot glue is fast and strong (use with adult supervision). For a completely kid-led project, school glue like Elmer’s works fine but takes longer to dry.
- String or yarn — Use a sturdy yarn or string to connect pieces and create hanging loops for display or the fishing game.
- Scissors — Standard or child-safe scissors are sufficient for cutting egg carton pieces.
Making the Fish Head
The pointy sections from the bottom half of the carton make great fish heads. Cut them out and press flat slightly to widen them if needed. I trimmed them carefully so I could also use the round “cup” pieces for bodies.
Making the Fish Body
The individual cups where eggs sit are perfect for the fish body. Cut them out separately and trim any rough edges to create a smooth shape. Some of the cups can also serve as heads for variety.
Making the Fish Tail
I often use the pointy bottom pieces for tails too. For some fish I added a fringed tail: cut a rectangle from the top part of the carton, snip thin fringe strips, roll it up, and glue it into a pointy piece for texture and movement.
Painting All the Pieces
Head and body pieces
To help the paint flow, mix a little water into craft paint. Set the pieces out for kids to paint however they like. Hayes didn’t paint every single piece, but he painted many and can point out the ones he helped create on the finished fish. I painted the remaining pieces and the insides where they would show in the completed fish.
Making and painting the eyes
Cut larger and smaller circles from scrap carton pieces for eyes. Paint the larger circles white and the smaller ones black or dark gray, then glue the small circle onto the larger one to form an eye. I used hot glue to assemble and attach the eyes to the heads, but school glue will work with more drying time.
Stringing It All Together
To finish, poke a hole through the center of each piece (head, body, tail) with scissors or a hole punch. Thread the yarn or string through the holes and knot between pieces to keep them in position. Assemble in order: tail, body, then head. Tie a loop at the head for hanging or to use in the fishing activity. That’s it — your egg carton fish are ready to display or play with.
Egg Carton Craft Idea for Kids: How to Make Egg Carton Fish
Brittni
Equipment
- egg cartons — one per fish is a good estimate
- paint — craft, acrylic, or watercolors
- paint brushes — toothbrushes work well for little hands
- glue — hot glue for speed or school glue for kid-led assembly
- string or yarn — strong enough to hold the pieces
- scissors — child-safe scissors are fine
Instructions
Making the fish body
- Cut individual egg cups from the bottom of the carton to serve as bodies. Trim uneven edges as needed.
Making the fish tail
- Use pointy bottom pieces for tails. For a fringed tail, cut a rectangle from the top of the carton, snip fringe, roll, and glue into a pointy piece.
Painting all the pieces
- Mix a little water into paint for easier coverage. Let kids paint pieces freely; paint any leftover pieces and the insides that will be visible.
- For eyes, cut larger and smaller circles from scrap carton, paint larger circles white and smaller ones dark, then glue together and attach to heads.
Stringing it all together
- Poke a hole through the center of each piece. Thread yarn through, knotting between pieces to hold them in place. Assemble in order: tail, body, then head.
- Tie a loop at the head for hanging or for the fishing game.
Notes
Why use egg cartons?
Recycled materials encourage creativity, teach kids to reuse what they have, and cut down on waste. The carton shapes are especially suited to making fish scales and bodies.
Other crafts from egg cartons
Try flowers, caterpillars, holiday ornaments, and more. Egg cartons can even become seed starter pots or be recycled into homemade paper.