Fun Eco Friendly Easter Craft Kids Ideas

Crafts 

Creative ways to Recycle Egg Shells, Reuse Plastic Styrofoam


With Earth Day kid ideas still fresh in my mind as well as last week's Easter and Passover family-friendly craft posts, it got me thinking about those that celebrated Easter today.  What can you do with all those eggs, egg shells, and egg cartons now that the Easter Bunny has come and gone?  Recycle them with arts and crafts, of course!


Eco Friendly DIY Easter Crafts


Most of the wonderful crafts (almost 20 different projects in all) featured in this post recycle real or pretend eggs (styrofoam, plastic, etc) and/or repurpose other materials you likely already have around the house.  For example, for Nikki's Paper Punch Eggs (shown here), you can use up all those odd shaped scraps of scrapbooking papers you've been hoarding.  You might even want to use some colorful junk mail, the Sunday comics, or other interesting paper
 you've got laying around the house to put your own crafty twist on these.





Do Something Eco-friendly with Your Easter Egg Surplus

The sky's the limit here.  From creating something new with those plastic eggs the kids brought home from the Easter Egg Hunt to making something out of the craft foam eggs you still have, to reusing the egg shells from all the hard boiled eggs the kids dyed on Saturday night.  

There are even some great ideas below that will give a second life to that stack of egg cartons that now sits atop the trash cash can. Below are my picks for some Eggstravagant post-Easter projects that kids will enjoy.

Which of the above projects appeals most to you and why?  What other ideas do you have for crafts that recycle Easter eggs (the real or pretend variety)?  This is your forum, so please leave a comment and share your brilliant thoughts with other like-minded crafters with kids. 

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Simple Ways to Educate Kids About the Environment through Action for Earth Day


Earth Day

What better occasion is there than today, which is Earth Day, to teach kids how they can get involved in helping the environment?  

As readers know, my family are avid lovers and protectors of the environment.  As regular contributors to our local community, we've helped renovate landscaping and gardens at public schools in Southern California.  We've also participated in cleanup days at the beach. 

We've visited more than 100 U.S. National Parks, we garden as a family, and I've written about various Earth-conscious groups such as Ritz-Carlton's Ambassadors of the Environment and Nature Rocks.  I've also blogged about eco artists such as Hearts of Haiti and influential environmentalists and authors such as Ed Begley.  Lots of eco-friendly crafts that kids can make have also been featured on this blog, too.

Here are five easy and fun ways, provided by LiveStrong.com, that get even very young children involved in creating a greener planet for all.

My oldest son (now 15) has been gardening with me since he was a toddler
Vintage Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Garden
Plant seeds or plants.  Growing your own vegetables without pesticides is good for the environment as well as your family's health. 

Community Cleanup
Schedule a community cleanup day with the kids.  Cleaning up the local area helps the environment and creates a sense of community with the kids and other. 

Toy Swap
Help the kids organize a toy swap instead of throwing away old toys, which results in more waste in the landfill. Each child brings her old toys that she no longer wants, and the kids swap toys with one another. That way,each child goes home with different toys, and nothing ends up in the landfill.

Pledge
Encourage kids to create a written Earth Day pledge that states what they promise to do to keep the earth clean while protecting the environment.  Then, get all the youngsters to sign this pact.

Green Committee
Set the stage for a kids' green committee that puts awareness, responsibility, and action in the hands of the children.  For example, a children's eco-friendly group at school can monitor the campus to make sure the other kids and the students' parents are making green choices.  They also might find new ways to make the school green, such as adding recycling bins or planting flowers, as well as bringing ecology into the classroom.

As soon as this post goes live, I'm heading outside with my four kids to do some yard cleanup and gardening.  Watch for a later post with pictures and a story about what my family does to mark this important day.  What will you be doing with your family for Earth Day?  Please leave a post and share.

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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Top 10 Best Easter & Spring Easy Arts and Crafts for Kids

Easter Crafts


 Readers:  Get  your own Easter craft ideas featured on MommyBlogExpert -- details at end of this post.  Also, don't miss the separate blogpost on some great children's Passover arts & crafts.

Easter is still a week away.  But if you have children who are out of school from now till after the Big Bunny makes his special delivery next Sunday, you'll want to keep them busy.

 Here are some of the most creative, fun, and easy craft projects your child can make with or without your help, depending on their age, to celebrate this family holiday.
Image by FamilyFun


These crafty projects will look great on your Easter table, either as a centerpiece or to jazz up individual place settings.  Whatever you choose to make, kids and adults alike will certainly enjoy these fresh ideas.  They'll also make great photographs as you document the holiday, so make sure your camera is charged and ready to go so you can capture some lovely memories not only on Sunday but while your children are creating these family heirlooms!
  • Easter Bunny Cupcakes from Disney Family Fun (pictured above)
  • Ribbon Eggs from Creative Home Arts Club
  • Hanging Easter Basket with Child's Handprints from DLTK-Holidays (pictured below)
Image by DLTK-Holidays
The ideas are all wonderful and creative.  But, I think I like the two crafts below the best because they're eco friendly.  Not to mention, they'll help you use up the surplus of egg cartons you are bound to have at home this time of year.
  • Egg Carton Daffodils from Adventures of Scuba Jack 
  • Egg Carton Ducklings from Family Education
Image from Family Education

Get Published on MommyBlogExpert
Leave a comment below with your clever Easter craft idea and your contact info.  If chosen, I will contact you for the directions and a photo of the finished project.  Then, your project with the link to your own blog or site will be featured in a future post on MommyBlogExpert.

Happy Easter !!!

FTC Disclosure:  I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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Passover Jewish Holiday Easy Crafts for Kids

Holiday Crafts

Readers:  Get  your own Passover craft ideas featured on MommyBlogExpert -- details at end of this post.   Also, don't miss the separate blogpost on some great children's Spring Arts and Crafts.

Photo from Kaboose

Passover officially begins on April 18, Monday night at sundown.  Keep kids from toddlers to teens busy between now and then with some really extraordinary but easy and inexpensive to make Pesach crafts.  

Likely you already have the supplies to make most of these projects at home, so why not do a craft together with your child?  Then, make sure you write the year and name of the child on the art project they make so that you can store it away after the holiday is over so you (and they) can enjoy it again every year after that.
  • Cardboard Tube Moses from Kaboose (pictured above)
  • Bedikat Chametz Search for Leaven Project from Kaboose
  • Passover Seder Plate from Crayola
  • Printable Ancient Egypt Coloring Pages from Coloring.com
  • Dancing Wine Goblet Paper Chain from Creative Jewish Mom  
  • Passover Bag of Plagues from Martha Stewart
Photo from Martha Stewart

 These are all really great Passover craft and cooking ideas.  But, here's my favorite one that I'm making with my teens this year -- Martha's Matzah House from Martha Stewart. Includes an 18 minute demo (in two parts)  from the Martha Stewart Show with funny lady Joan Rivers as the guest for the featured Pesach cooking segment.

 In this entertaining and informative Martha online video you'll see how to make some yummy gourmet chocolate and nuts matzah as well as the gorgeous Matzoh House pictured.  Whether you're perfect like Martha or a little klutz like Joan, you are going to love this kitchen craft that you can use as a Passover Seder table centerpiece and then eat for dessert!

 Get Published on MommyBlogExpert
Leave a comment below with your Passover clever craft idea and your contact info.  If chosen, I will contact you for the directions and a photo of the finished project.  Then, your project with the link to your own blog or site will be featured next week in a future post on MommyBlogExpert.
Happy Passover!
FTC Disclosure:  I disclose that I am a member of Martha Stewart's Dreamer into Doer community and was named Doer of the Week by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO).  However, I did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
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Strawberry Shortcake Sky's The Limit

Movies


For the past year MommyBlogExpert has been thrilled to be among the chosen few blogs to host some really great family friendly monthly Kidtoons movie giveaways. These include Spookley Square Pumpkin, Care Bears: Share Bear Shines, Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, Barbie Fairy Secret, and Little Engine That Could  in conjunction with their monthly screenings just for children in theaters nationwide. 


Strawberru Shortcake Movie Giveaway


Kidtoons giveaways are different every month depending on the movie.  But, they're always fun and wholesome for children, so don't miss out on entering the current giveaway as well as subscribing to MommyBlogExpert.com so you will be among the first to know when next month's giveaway is announced.

In Theaters Weekends in April
For the entire month of April it's Kidtoons' Strawberry Shortcake Movie: Sky's the Limit, showing in select theaters nationwide with recently reduced ticket prices at many locations.

Strawberry Shortcake: Sky's the Limit - The Plot
When a heavy storm plunks an even heavier boulder into a nearby stream, it stops the flow of water into Berry Bitty City!  So, with help from long-winded Mr. Longface, the girls set out to find the legendary "geyser rock," which creates water from the ground!  Their journey is rocky, and the story about the rock may not be very solid.  But with teamwork, a careful plan and lots of girl power, the friends just might get their creativity - and water - flowing again!


Strawberry Shortcake: Sky's the Limit
Giveaway


To help Kidtoons celebrate this month's feature we're giving away a multi-prize package to one lucky family.


The Prize Pack Features
  • The Official Movie Poster
  • Strawberry Shortcake Doll
  • Strawberry Shortcake Playset

HOW TO ENTER

Leave one or more comments below this post. Contest ends May 3, 2011 at 12 midnite PST and is open to legal residents of the U.S. only.

For the Required (Mandatory) Entry
Simply leave a comment below this blogpost with your email address, Facebook or Twitter contact info so we may contact the winner. In the event that you are the lucky one, MommyBlogExpert will contact you for your shipping address.

For Additional Chances to Win
Get extra entries for following MommyBlogExpert and/or Kidtoons on Twitter and/or Facebook and for subscribing to this blog. Remember: Be sure to return to MommyBlogExpert to leave an additional comment after each individual action you do to confirm them so we can record all your extra chances to win.

Follow MommyBlogExpert (1 or 2 extra entries)
@mommyblogexpert on Twitter
@mommyblogexpert on Facebook

Kidtoon Films (1 or 2 extra entries)
@kidtoonsfilms on Twitter
@kidtoonsfilms on Facebook

In ADDITION to doing any or all of the extra entries above, you can earn one extra entry each time you Tweet the message exactly in the paragraph immediately below (limit 3 separate tweets for 3 extra entries per day). Don't forget to return to leave a comment on this post with the direct link to right after every Tweet you do so you'll receive an entry for all your RTs.

Strawberry Shortcake - Sky's the Limit @KidtoonFilms #GIVEAWAY http://tinyurl.com/3gujsrn #kids #movie #StrawberryShortcake RT 2 #WIN

About Kidtoon Films

Kidtoons mission is to showcase fun and affordable family-centric movies at participating theaters. Every month a different entertaining children's film is screened at well over 100 neighborhood theaters across the U.S. So, be sure to check where this is showing because more big screens where you can take your child to see this have been added recently.

This concept brings parents and children together to enjoy kid-friendly characters, cartoons, music videos and sing-a-longs as well as giveaways for the kid audience members like stickers, activity books or toys after every film.

FTC Disclosure: Kidtoon Films has provided the prizes for this giveaway. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
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