Egg Carton Christmas Crafts for Kids: Fun & Eco-Friendly!

Looking for fun, eco-friendly Christmas crafts to do with kids? Egg cartons are inexpensive, easy to cut and paint, and perfect for turning into festive decorations. Below are 10 egg-carton Christmas crafts, each with a separate Materials list and Instructions.

1. Egg Carton Reindeer

Transform those bumpy cups into Rudolph and friends with googly eyes, pipe cleaner antlers, and a bright red nose. Kids love how the rounded shape naturally becomes a perfect reindeer face.

An egg carton transformed into a cute reindeer face hanging as ornament in a Christmas tree.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups (1 per reindeer)
  • Brown acrylic paint or washable paint
  • Red pom-poms (for the nose)
  • Googly eyes
  • Brown pipe cleaners (for antlers)
  • Craft glue or glue gun
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Cut one cup from the egg carton and trim edges.
  2. Paint it brown; let dry.
  3. Glue googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose.
  4. Twist pipe cleaners into antlers and glue to the top.
  5. Optional: Add a ribbon loop to hang as an ornament.

2. Egg Carton Snowman

Stack three egg cups together, add a tiny scarf and orange nose, and you’ve got the cutest mini snowman. No melting required, which is honestly the best part.

A cute snowman made with three egg carton cups, small buttons and a felt strip.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups (3 per snowman)
  • White paint
  • Black and orange markers or paint pens
  • Small buttons
  • Ribbon or felt strip (for scarf)
  • Craft glue
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Glue two egg cups together vertically.
  2. Paint white and let dry.
  3. Draw eyes, mouth (dots), and an orange carrot nose.
  4. Glue buttons down the front and tie a ribbon/felt scarf around the neck.
  5. Optional: Add a mini paper hat.

3. Egg Carton Christmas Trees

Cut the cups into a tree shape, paint them green, and decorate with tiny beads or sequins. It’s amazing how something destined for recycling can become such a festive centerpiece.

A Christmas tree made with four egg carton cups, green paint and sequins.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups (3 or 4 per tree)
  • Green paint (mix shades if you like)
  • Craft sequins or small beads/buttons (for ornaments)
  • Yellow paper or foam star
  • Brown paper or cork for trunk
  • Glue

Instructions

  1. Cut three cups and trim to decreasing sizes.
  2. Paint them green and let dry.
  3. Stack and glue largest → smallest.
  4. Glue on sequins/beads as ornaments; add a star on top and a trunk at the bottom.
  5. Optional: Lightly brush white paint on edges to mimic snow.

4. Egg Carton Santa Claus

Paint the cups peach, add cotton ball trim and a jolly face, and suddenly you’ve got Santa ready for his rounds. The cup shape works perfectly as his round belly or hat.

A Santa made with egg carton cups, cotton balls and construction paper for the hat.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • Red and peach paint
  • Cotton balls (for beard and hat trim)
  • Red paper (for hat)
  • Googly eyes
  • Kids paint brush set

Instructions

  1. Paint the cup peach (face) with a red hat area; let dry.
  2. Glue on googly eyes.
  3. Glue cotton balls for beard and hat trim; add a small pom-pom to hat tip.
  4. Optional: Draw rosy cheeks with a pink marker.

5. Egg Carton Elves

Paint the egg cups green. Add a cheerful face and some details, and you’ve got Santa’s little helpers ready to decorate.

An elf made with egg carton cups, green pain , red and green construction paper, and a pompom.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • Green paint
  • Red and green paper (for hat and collar)
  • Markers for faces
  • Mini jingle bells or mini pompoms
  • Glue

Instructions

  1. Paint the cup green and let dry.
  2. Cut paper for a pointed hat and a small collar; glue them on.
  3. Add facial details with markers and glue a pompom or bell at the hat tip.
  4. Optional: Add tiny felt shoes or rosy cheeks.

6. Egg Carton Angels

The individual cups make beautiful angel bodies when you add wings and a halo. They’re delicate enough to hang on the tree but sturdy enough for little hands to make.

A cute angel made with egg carton cups, paper doilies and pipe cleaner.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • White or gold paint
  • Paper doilies or cardstock (for wings)
  • Pipe cleaner (for halo)
  • Gold glitter glue
  • Glue

Instructions

  1. Paint the cup white or gold.
  2. Cut a doily or cardstock into wing shapes and glue to the back.
  3. Make a halo from pipe cleaner and attach to the top.
  4. Add glitter glue accents and draw a sweet face.
  5. Optional: Add metallic thread to hang.

7. Egg Carton Penguins

Paint those cups black and white, add an orange beak and feet, and these waddling cuties are ready for the holidays. They’re unexpectedly adorable once you see the vision.

A penguin made with egg carton cups, googly eyes and orange construction paper.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • Black and white paint
  • Orange paper or foam (for beak and feet)
  • Googly eyes
  • Glue

Instructions

  1. Paint the cup black leaving a white oval on the front for the belly.
  2. Cut and glue orange beak and feet.
  3. Glue on googly eyes and add a small scarf if desired.
  4. Optional: Use felt to make earmuffs.

8. Egg Carton Wreaths

Cut and arrange the cups in a circle, paint them festive colors, and add berries or ribbon. It’s a creative way to make something traditionally fancy from humble materials.

A little Christmas wreath made with egg carton cups.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups (cut into petal shapes)
  • Green paint
  • Small red pompoms (for berries)
  • Ribbon for hanging or bow
  • Mini glue gun
  • Cardboard ring (base)

Instructions

  1. Cut egg carton sections into petal shapes and paint green.
  2. Glue petals around a cardboard ring to form a wreath.
  3. Glue red pompoms as berries and add a ribbon bow.
  4. Hang on a door or wall.

9. Egg Carton Ornaments

Individual cups become personalized ornaments with paint, glitter, and a ribbon for hanging. Each one turns out unique, which makes them perfect keepsakes.

Egg carton ornaments hanging in a Christmas tree.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • Paints in assorted colors
  • Glitter or stickers
  • Ribbon for crafts
  • Hole punch and glue

Instructions

  1. Paint the cups in holiday colors and let dry.
  2. Decorate with glitter, stickers, or paint patterns.
  3. Punch a small hole near the rim and thread ribbon through for hanging.
  4. Optional: Add a name tag on the back to make personalized ornaments.

10. Egg Carton Bells

The cup shape is already bell-like, so just add metallic paint and a clapper inside. Give them a gentle shake and you’ve got your own holiday jingle.

Bell ornaments made with egg carton cups.

Materials

  • Egg carton cups
  • Silver or gold metallic paint
  • Jingle bells (one per bell)
  • Ribbon or yarn for hanging
  • Glue

Instructions

  1. Paint the cups metallic gold or silver and allow to dry.
  2. Thread a ribbon through the top and tie a jingle bell inside so it dangles freely.
  3. Knot the ribbon for hanging and trim the ends neatly.
  4. Optional: Add a small bow on top for decoration.

Final tip

Set up craft stations so kids can choose projects and reuse leftover materials across crafts. These egg carton Christmas crafts are cheap, sustainable, and super cute for holiday displays or gifting.

Looking for more Christmas inspo?  Check out these easy and budget-friendly paper bag crafts, pipe cleaner crafts, toilet paper crafts, painted rocks, and a collection of Santa and fun Grinch crafts kids will love.

Don’t miss our Preschool Christmas Gifts for Parents post for more handmade holiday inspiration!

Once Christmas has passed, don’t pack away the creativity—discover even more fun in our winter crafts for kids collection!

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