Ingredients
1. Eggs
2. Water
3. White Vinegar
4. Food coloring
5. Lemon juice
First step is to hard boil your eggs. Place the desired number of eggs in a pan (I usually throw in a few extra because one or two usually crack), fill the pan with cold water just to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil on the stove and boil for 5 minutes. Turn off stove and let cool. If you’re in a hurry you can drain off the hot water, fill the pan with cold water, and repeat until the water is no longer pouring out hot – I always find that this method will crack an egg or two so I try to just wait if I can.
Fun with the Eggs
Egg coloring (per color)
2/3 cup hot water
2 Tbsp white vinegar
Food coloring
Combine the water and vinegar in a small bowl – make sure it’s big enough to put your egg in it – then add food coloring until you reach your desired shade. The vinegar helps set the color so you get a much more vibrant color.
After all your colors are mixed gently place the egg in a color and let it soak until your egg reaches the desired shade.
Be creative, there’s lots of ways to make speckled or designed eggs.
1. Wrap a rubberband around your egg before soak it for a crazy striped egg
2. Wrap a small piece of lace around your egg before soaking for a fancy design – this method also gives you a little “handle” for your egg so it’s a lot easier for kids to dip and soak the eggs
3. Dip half the egg in one color and half the egg in another color
4. Dye one color and then paint with another – the kids love this too! You can make special egg “paint” with less water and vinegar and more food coloring.
I like to dry my eggs on my cookie racks set over a stack of newspapers or paper towels. Remember, food coloring stains, so don’t get it on anything you don’t want colored.
Cleanup
Now, for the lemon juice. If your kids are like mine, their hands are now multi-colored. Lemon juice is great for removing color from little fingers! I just gave mine a small bowl and they pre-washed their hands with lemon juice before actually washing their hands with soap and water. Didn’t remove all the color but it got way more off than just soap and water.
This just took me all the way back to my childhood. Coloring eggs was such a big deal when I was growing up. I can’t wait to have children of my own to do it with!
I love the idea of using lace to get an interesting pattern with the dye. That’s a cool suggestion.
I miss coloring eggs. We are empty nesters and the grandchildren are to far away. What the heck maybe this year I will go ahead and color a few.
I still love coloring Easter eggs. I love the lemon juice suggestion! Having color all over my hands is the part I have always disliked about coloring eggs.
Love these ideas! My kids are older now and I haven’t colored Easter Eggs in some time. This makes me want to do it again 🙂
Nice tip with the lemon juice. I shared that with my mommy friends.
Thanks!
One of the beast Easter activity! I love your result!
Thanks!
Man that takes me back! I remember loving doing this with my mom and grandma each Easter. It’s been years and I lost my grandma 6 months ago so I am really feeling nostalgic seeing this. Thanks for sharing.
Those are such sweet memories!
Oo I hadn’t thought about using lace to give it a pattern! What a great idea.
fun! i enjoy doing this
I can’t wait to try the lace and rubber band methods with our eggs this year! I know both my girls will love getting creative with their designs. Thank you!
Mine have so much fun every year!
I did not know the lemon juice trick! That’s awesome.
I think this year I will try the rubber band method!!
Oh my gosh, that’s right! Easter is almost here. I love coloring Easter eggs and I like the idea you have for more creative eggs. Cute stuff.
Definitely excited about coloring Easter eggs this year!
Love coloring easter eggs every year. Brings family together.
It does 🙂