This egg carton jellyfish craft is such a cute way to turn recycled materials into colourful ocean animals! Using painted egg carton cups, googly eyes, and ribbon tentacles, kids can make wiggly jellyfish that are bright, playful, and super fun to display.
This easy ocean craft is a great project for summer and a fun way to craft with recycled materials. Kids can choose their favourite paint colour, add flowing tentacles, and give each jellyfish its own personality. They’re simple to make with basic craft supplies, and they look adorable swaying from a hook, shelf, window, or classroom display!
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How to Make Egg Carton Jellyfish
Materials:
- Egg carton
- Acrylic paint
- Thin ribbon (2 complementary colours or shades)
- Gold pearl garland (2 or 3mm beads)
- Googly eyes (10mm)
Equipment:
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Cut and paint the egg carton
- Use a craft knife or scissors to cut an egg cup (where the egg sits) from the egg carton.
- Cut the top edges of the cup so they’re rounded and wavy. This cut part will be the bottom of the jellyfish body.
- Choose a colour for your jellyfish and paint the outside.
- Then paint the inside and edges of the egg carton piece as well. Allow to dry.
Step 3: Add the tentacles
- Cut 3 pieces of ribbon about 12 inches long.
- Run the ribbons over the edge of your scissors to curl them a bit.
- Here’s what the ribbon will look like. It doesn’t curl perfectly like gift wrap ribbon does, but they do end up quite wavy looking.
- Repeat with another colour or shade of ribbon.
- Add a generous dot of glue to the inside center of the egg cup.
- Find the rough center of a piece of ribbon and set it into the glue.Repeat with the other 2 of the same colour, placing them at different angles.(Note: If your ribbons are different widths, add the thickest one first.)
- Add more glue to the center of the jellyfish, on top of the ribbons, and add the second set of ribbons.
- Cut 2 pieces of pearl garland — one about 12 inches and one 6 inches.
- Glue them in alongside the ribbon.
Step 4: Add eyes and a hanger
- Glue googly eyes to the outside of the egg carton.
- Then cut a thin piece of ribbon about 5 inches long.
- Add a dot of glue to the top center of the jellyfish.
- Set the ends of the ribbon into the glue to create a hanger for your jellyfish.
- Your egg carton jellyfish is complete!
- Have fun making a whole rainbow assortment of jellyfish in all different colours!
Helpful Tips:
- Detail scissors can help you cut the egg carton cup more cleanly, especially for shaping the bottom into a wavy jellyfish edge. These sharp, short-bladed scissors give you a little more control than regular scissors.
- You can also make a small hole in the top of the egg carton cup for the hanger. Make a loop with ribbon or string, tie a knot at the end, and push the loop up through the top of the jellyfish before gluing the tentacles inside.
Can I make an egg carton jellyfish without ribbon?
Yes, you can make an egg carton jellyfish without ribbon. We love the flowing look of ribbon tentacles, but you can also use pipe cleaners, yarn, tissue paper streamers, string, or beads strung onto cord.
Try mixing a few different materials together to give the jellyfish more texture and movement!
What type of egg carton is best for this jellyfish craft?
Cardboard egg cartons work best for this craft because they’re easier to cut and paint than Styrofoam. They also have a nice texture that holds paint well.
How many egg carton pieces will I need to make an egg carton jellyfish?
You’ll need one egg cup for each jellyfish. This is the individual section of the carton where the egg sits. So you can make 12 jellyfish from one regular carton.
What paint is best for egg carton crafts?
Acrylic paint works well for painting egg cartons. Regular craft acrylic paint will give good coverage, and multi-surface acrylic paint can create a deeper colour with a slightly shiny finish.
Let the paint dry completely before adding the eyes, hanger, and tentacles so everything sticks properly.
What glue works best for egg carton crafts?
Hot glue works best for attaching ribbon, bead string, and other decorations to egg cartons. It gives a strong hold and dries very quickly, so you can keep working and hang or play with the jellyfish right away.
Tacky glue can also work, but it takes longer to dry. If you’re using tacky glue, let the jellyfish sit until all the pieces are fully secure.
This egg carton jellyfish craft is a fun way to turn simple recycled materials into a bright, wiggly ocean animal. The painted egg carton cups make perfect jellyfish bodies, and the long ribbon tentacles give them so much movement and personality.
Hang your finished jellyfish in a window, from a shelf, or around a classroom for an easy under the sea display. They’re colourful, playful, and simple enough for kids to make with just a few basic craft supplies.
Here’s even more egg carton craft ideas:
Animal Portraits from Egg Cartons
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Low-Mess Crafts for Kids Book
72 cute and fun crafts that kids and parents alike can enjoy. All with as little mess as possible!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
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