Dreaming of Spring: Egg Gift Tags

You could use these for gift tags, a necklace or to decorate for Easter!

Materials

• Air dry clay
• Egg shaped cookie cutter or old butter knife
• Rolling pin
• Thin piece of dowel or bamboo skewer
• Clay board
• Smock
• Craft tray

Possible Embellishments

• Sealant or gloss
• Beads
• Lace or ribbon
• Paint
• Rick rack
• Embroidery floss/needle
• Fabric glue

Directions

• Follow the directions on the clay product that you choose.  This is an activity that may require adult assistance in the kneading to prepare the clay, depending on the age of the child.

• Roll out the clay to the thickness described in the directions on a clay board or surface used for craft materials (e.g., craft tray).  We went with a little over half a centimetre or approximately 1/4 of an inch.

• Cut out your eggs with a cookie cutter or better yet, make your own egg with a butter knife.

• Make a hole (or holes) with the end of your dowel or skewer.  We made some holes around the perimeter of some of the eggs to add a string detail and some on the edges to lace across.

• Allow to dry according to the product directions.

• You could sand the edges if you would like, wearing a mask and safety glasses to protect yourself from the dust.

• Don your smock.  If you like, paint the eggs and allow to dry overnight.  Do the same with the sealant or gloss if you like.

• Glue on the embellishments that you might like.

• Use your embroidery floss and sew your details on your eggs. (We found it helpful to have an adult to hold it steady.)

• Lace ribbon, cord etc through the top hole to make a loop.  Add any beads that you may like etc.  Give your egg to a friend.  (You could write your name and the year on the back with permanent marker, attaching it to a gift.)

Purpose

• Developing fine motor skills, working with various materials and tools.

Safety Notes

• Wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect surfaces and clothing.
• A butter knife should be handled with care, direct adult supervision and transported with the point downwards.
• Cord, lace etc. can be a strangulation hazard and therefore should not be used for play, but rather with direct adult supervision.  If you go with a necklace be sure to remove it when on a playground or use a release clasp depending on the age of your child.
• Beads can be a choking hazard and should not be within reach of children ages 0-3 or those that tend to put things in their mouths.
• Be sure to wash your hands after handling the clay.
• We recommend having an adult cut the point off of the end of a bamboo skewer prior to use as they can be sharp and work more effectively in creating a uniform hole when flat.