Tips for Decorating Easter Eggs

Many will say that the most fun thing about Easter is decorating Easter eggs. Whether you are dying dozens of Easter eggs or just a few to garnish Easter dinner, decorating Easter eggs can be a great family time that will create lifelong memories. The process is fairly simple and the results can be spectacular. But if you are new to dying eggs or have children that you want to involve in the process there are tips that can help. So before you begin preparing for Easter here are some tips for decorating Easter eggs:

• Remember that you can decorate hard-cooked or empty eggs. You should keep in mind that hard-cooked eggs are best when you want a sturdy egg for hiding and when you want to eat them when you are done. They also work well because they are also easier for younger children to handle. Consult online if you are looking for a good method to hard boil your eggs. You can also empty your eggs if you want to keep them for a long time and bring them out to display year-after-year. If you want to keep your decorated eggs for a long time, you should know that you can strengthen them by covering them with layers of paper towels or similar paper stuck on with white glue or homemade flour-and-water paste. There are also instructions available online on how to empty your eggs.
• Everyone needs to wash their hands thoroughly-It is important that everyone should wash their hands in hot, soapy water before and after handling eggs (even if they have already been cooked or decorated)! This will protect everyone from any bacteria on the egg, and protects the eggshell from any oils on hands that may make the dye not adhere. It is critical to make sure an adult supervises all projects to ensure common sense food safety precautions are observed.
• Make sure to get a grip-One of the frustrating aspects of decorating Easter eggs is being able to hold onto them. This is especially true for youngsters with small hands. There are several accessories that you can buy that will hold the egg securely while decorating it or you can search through your utensil drawer for tongs, slotted spoons and other items that will help you keep your grip.
• Encourage creativity-Kids are sometimes worried that their egg will not be creative enough. It is important to help kids understand that they do not have to be highly creative to create an exceptional egg. Help your kids use their imagination to create cool looking eggs by gluing on fun materials found at craft stores, like fake gems, sequins, trims and ribbons. They can also use paint, including gold or silver metallic paints, to make their eggs really special! In addition kids can express themselves by using paint on their eggs either free hand or working with a stencil. In addition there are many kits that allow you to make eggs with several different colors. The kids can draw on their egg with the clear wax “magic crayon” found in many decorating kits and then dye their egg. Each time they use the crayon, they will protect that color from dye. They can cover up more areas to keep the color, and peel the wax off of other areas to add color. When they have finished dying their multiple colored eggs they can peel off all the wax layers to reveal an interesting multi-color design. You can also polish the egg by rubbing in any remaining wax (heat egg slightly in hot water).