9 Easter egg DIY decorating ideas that go beyond the traditional dye kit

If you’re looking to elevate your Easter egg decorating game and want to steer clear of dye kits (filled with mysterious ingredients I can’t spell let alone pronounce), I’ve got some great ideas for you that go far beyond boiling water and pastel coffee cup stains.

While my childhood memories of egg decorating involve dropping little colored tablets into water, then carefully dipping eggs in and waiting impatiently for each egg to change colors, I’m happy to report egg decorating creativity has progressed significantly over the years. From washi tape to tissue paper and googly eyes, it’s not hard to find creative and fun ways to decorate (and celebrate!) with your kids this Easter.

Also, while I’m sure this goes without saying, don’t forget to refrigerate your pretty hard-boiled eggs once transformed. I may have accidentally done just that as a sleep-deprived mama of a 3- and 1-year-old, and well, rookie mistake. Next up: filling that Easter basket. Happy decorating!

9 Easter egg decorating ideas

1. Using markers

Looking for a fun, kid-friendly way to decorate eggs without the mess of dye? The Original EggMazing Easter Egg Decorator Kit might just be the answer. It couldn’t be easier to use, and we love how it produces bright, colorful egg-shaped works of art.

The Original EggMazing Easter Egg Decorator Kit

$24.99

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2. Washi tape

Chelsea of Lovely Indeed shares a beautiful DIY washi tape egg tutorial on her blog that only requires washi tape, a versatile crafting accessory, a pair of scissors and no dye whatsoever. If little hands aren’t ready for a pair of scissors yet, you can tear by hand or cut strips or shapes and let your child apply to each egg. A reminder that plastic eggs are another option, and easily reusable from year to year.

3. Brush pens

Sam from Color Me Happy has created a trippy tie dye easter egg tutorial that doesn’t require dye at all. Using brush pens, a plastic sandwich bag and a spray bottle, you can create a beautiful tie dye effect on your Easter eggs this year.

4. Paint

Who knew a hard-boiled egg could make such a great canvas? A simple painting session with materials you more than likely already have around the house will make each of your eggs a unique and special creation. Sure, there might still be a mess, but washable paint comes off a lot easier than dye, I can tell you that. Pro tip: paint one side, let it dry (insert lunch, naptime, park visit here), then paint the other side.

5. Paper party hats

You’ll find amazing craft tutorials and design inspiration on Flax & Twine, including this adorable Easter egg party hat tutorial. The website offers a printable hat template, as well as easy to follow instructions to turn your hard boiled eggs into party stars ready to celebrate Easter. Too cute!

6. Googly eyes

Aren’t googly eyes a great addition to anything DIY? A container of googly eyes, craft glue and maybe a permanent marker (supervised by parent) to add some distinctive eyebrows and smile will make for the most amusing eggs you’ve seen in a while. Rhinestones can be a sparkly, easily glue-able addition, too!

7. Sprinkles

Food photographer and dessert cookbook author Jackie Alpers has created an incredible no dye Easter egg option using sprinkles, and this is perhaps the best idea ever? By combining powdered sugar and water, you can create a thick paste that acts as glue when applying your sprinkles (handling sprinkles in a plastic bag is the least messy and most effective way to create this Easter masterpiece).

8. Stickers

Listen, when all else fails (and say, your time is limited), stickers are the way to go. While I’m a big fan of Pipsticks myself, any ol’ sticker will do to “dress up” your Easter eggs and have fun while doing it.

9. Flower crowns

Flower crowns aren’t just for Coachella. The hipster hair trend doesn’t look half bad on an Easter egg, either, and I love the easy tutorial I found on Flax & Twine (this crafty lady knows how to decorate an egg).

A version of this post was published March 26, 2021. It has been updated.