EGG CARTON INSECT CRAFT!

April 20, 2024 10 Comments

Updated May 2026

Three egg carton insect craft.
Three egg carton insect craft!

Make these fun and easy three-egg-carton insect crafts. Choose one, or do all three!

Recycling your egg cartons is a fun and super activity for your kids to craft!

Egg carton insect craft!

It’s spring again, the sun is peering through the clouds, flowers are popping up, and so are all kinds of insects!

So in this post, I would like to celebrate the arrival of spring with this fun egg carton insect craft!

WHAT I HAVE IN MIND?

I shall recycle material like egg cartons for eco-friendly crafting, and I will craft three different insects, a Bee, an Ant and a Caterpillar!

CRAFTING AIDS LEARNING!

Any crafting that young children are encouraged to do can address their cognitive and developmental skills, which would spark their creativity and imagination!

EGG CARTON INSECTS!

This is a fun and educational activity for kids to do, where I will show how to transform a simple egg carton into adorable insect creations!

HOW SO?

Here is where it all starts, little children’s hands will touch, grab, hold, pull, squeeze, pick up, push and feel different-sized objects.

Children learn through play and the creative aspects, and see how things work together, purely by experimenting and trying all types of resources set out for them.

A GREAT LEARNING ACTIVITY!

Crafting is a super activity to get young children involved in creating something interesting.

KIDS EXPERIMENTING!

Whether they are painting, drawing, playing with playdough, or sticking bits together, it’s a great way for them to use their hands and learn different ways to hold, attach and stick some things together.

So this crafting activity will be an easy and super way for the younger kids to have fun and make some interesting insects!

BACK TO OUR FRIENDS THE INSECTS!

Insects can be great for kids to look at in wonder, but they can also be a nuisance!

There is always a chance that some insect can sting or bite you, so keeping that in mind, I shall tell you what happened to my son when he was much younger.

STUNG TWICE!

You know when your child is in danger, and you give out a warning to be careful, and in this case, not to touch a bee. Well, you guessed it, curiosity took the better of him, and my son decided to touch the bee!

RESULTING……

To my horror, he was stung by this rather large, fluffy bee. He cried out, and I ran to his aid, having figured out what had happened.

I ran back into the kitchen and pulled out a blunt knife to try to wipe out the sting and sac. Failing this, I foolishly attempted to pick it out, and consequently, I got stung too!

So as a result, this bumblebee’s sting stung us twice!

THE WONDER OF BEES!

Having said that, bees are still a valuable species for pollinating our flowers, fruits and vegetables.

They do this by removing the nectar from the flowers, and then they transfer it to other flowers, plants, and fruit trees.

Throughout all of this, bees also make yummy honey!

Take a look at this super video that explains just that!

IT’S AN ANTS WORLD!

Those little critters, our friends the ants, you either love or hate them. Where just a tiny segment of food, even as small as a crumb, drops to the floor, and lo and behold, there they are, ants galore doing their thing!

You have to be careful not to drop food behind you or leave food lying around, because if the garden door is open, you know what might happen!

It’s all about being more diligent and covering your tracks!

Here is Explorer Max giving us an overview of the ants’ life, and Max covers a lot of aspects of our friend, the ant!

CATERPILLAR OR INSECT?

I included the caterpillar as one of the three insects, I shall be crafting, and you may wonder, but is a caterpillar an insect or a bug?

Let’s address this. Do you believe that the caterpillar has six legs?

SOME FACTS ABOUT CATERPILLARS.

Yes they do, just like their parent butterflies or moths, and the plus side is they have five fat prolegs with little hooks that help them hang onto things and move in a wave-like motion, and the hooks help them climb plants too.

CHILDREN’S STORY!

Do you remember the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’?

Well, this is a lovely story, where from a tiny egg, out pops a Very Hungry Caterpillar and eats its way through loads of food and grows bigger and bigger…here’s how the story goes…

The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been written in a fun way and cleverly covers the four stages of the life cycle of a caterpillar.

ARE YOU READY?

Let’s go ahead with our egg carton insect craft. I shall show you how to craft three different insects, starting with the Bee, then an Ant and finally the Caterpillar.

THE BEE!

1) Cut out 3 or 4 round egg holders.
1) Cut out 3 or 4 round egg holders.
2) The face should be the part of the egg-cup that can be shaped like goggles.
2) The face should be the part of the egg-cup that can be shaped like goggles.
3) So when you pop on googly eyes they fit in like so.
3) So when you pop on googly eyes they fit in like so.
4) Now paint all parts in bright yellow.
4) Now paint all parts in bright yellow.
5) Hot glue the painted egg-cups to make body and glue on face with glued on googly eyes too.
5) Hot glue the painted egg-cups to make body and glue on face with glued on googly eyes too.
6) As you glue together form a bee body and hold until it sets.
6) As you glue together form a bee body and hold until it sets.
7) Turn over and cut 6 legs from black pipe cleaners, hot glue on the underside.
7) Turn over and cut 6 legs from black pipe cleaners, hot glue on the underside.
8) Cut out from plastic casing a pair of wings.
8) Cut out from plastic casing a pair of wings.
9) Paint black lines across the bee, and around the eyes to form goggles, drawn a smiley mouth, then hot glue on the wings on the bees back.
9) Paint black lines across the bee, and around the eyes to form goggles, drawn a smiley mouth, then hot glue on the wings on the bees back.
10) Here is a side view of the finished bee.
10) Here is a side view of the finished bee.
11) This is the front view.
11) This is the front view.

SOME TIPS FOR THE BEE EGG CARTON CRAFT!

     CREATING THE SHAPE.
  • Cut out the egg cups and make sure you can pop them inside each other to form the bee’s body.
     THE BEES FACE.
  • The face is part of the egg cup that has a cross with a dot in the middle.
  • Then, on top, cut two curves to form the rim of the goggles.
     GLUING PARTS TOGETHER.
  • Run the hot glue inside each egg cup, and insert another egg cup to hold it in place, then add the next one.
  • Move the face egg cup around until it fits when glued on.
  • Glue googly eyes on as well before painting it.
     WHEN TO PAINT BLACK.
  • Once the bee is formed and glued together, you can paint the black lines around the eyes to create the goggles.

ANT EGG-CARTON CRAFT.

1) Cut a long strip of three egg cups, from an egg carton.
1) Cut a long strip of three egg cups, from an egg carton.
2) Tape the open parts together with masking tape.
2) Tape the open parts together with masking tape.
3) Cut an extra egg-cup and pop it on one end like so, this will be the back-end of the ants' body.
3) Cut an extra egg-cup and pop it on one end like so, this will be the back-end of the ants' body.
4) Now it's ready to paint in black.
4) Now it's ready to paint in black.
5) Cut in half three black pipe cleaners, turn ant upside down, and hot glue them in the middle of the ant, and cut smaller pieces for the front of the head, these are the mandibles, glue them on as well on the underside of the head. Bend into shape.
5) Cut in half three black pipe cleaners, turn ant upside down, and hot glue them in the middle of the ant, and cut smaller pieces for the front of the head, these are the mandibles, glue them on as well on the underside of the head. Bend into shape.
6) Finally, glue on the eyes, draw mouth and add a few green cut out leaves.
6) Finally, glue on the eyes, draw mouth and add a few green cut out leaves.

MORE TIPS FOR THE EGG CARTON ANT!

    HOW TO START.

  • This project is pretty straightforward. Take a six-egg cup holder and cut out three in a row.

    STICK TOGETHER.

  • Squeeze together the open part of the egg cups, hold them in place and glue them together with masking tape to close up gaps.
  • This will now take shape and look more like an ant’s body.

    EXTRA EGG CUP.

  • The extra egg cup will be the large abdomen, at the back end. Glue this on and secure.

    ADDING, EYES.

  • You can glue on the googly eyes before you paint the ant, as this would adhere to the carton, although if you prefer to do it right at the end that’s fine too.

    PAINTING THE ANT.

  • Once all parts are glued together, you can go ahead and paint the ant in black, and allow it to dry. Then paint a white mouth under the eyes.

    ADDING THE LEGS AND MANDIBLES.

  • This part is easy, turn the ant upside down, simply cut the three pipe cleaners in half and hot glue them in the middle of the ant, that being the thorax.
  • Cut two smaller pieces which represent the mandibles, and glue them on too.

CATERPILLAR EGG CARTON CRAFT!

1) Grab a long twelve egg cup box, cut one long section out, or two three egg cup pieces.
1) Grab a long twelve egg cup box, cut one long section out, or two three egg cup pieces.
2) Tape together to make one long piece.
2) Tape together to make one long piece.
3) So once taped together it should look like this.
3) So once taped together it should look like this.
4) Now cut two three egg cups and cut them longways in half. These will be the rounded parts of the egg cups, that you slide under the long egg cups, these will hold the shape, conceal the openings.
4) Now cut two three egg cups and cut them longways in half. These will be the rounded parts of the egg cups, that you slide under the long egg cups, these will hold the shape, conceal the openings.
5) Look out for parts of the egg cup that when you cut the two cups out and squeezed at the back it will make a face that looks like the picture.
5) Look out for parts of the egg cup that when you cut the two cups out and squeezed at the back it will make a face that looks like the picture.
6) Tape the back end together so it holds in place.
6) Tape the back end together so it holds in place.
7) Cut a slit in the body of the egg cup and you can push in the pointed bit and then glue into place.
7) Cut a slit in the body of the egg cup and you can push in the pointed bit and then glue into place.
8) Check that all parts fit and trim of all rough bits to neaten it off.
8) Check that all parts fit and trim of all rough bits to neaten it off.
9) Now you can paint everything in white, when dry you can paint your colours.
9) Now you can paint everything in white, when dry you can paint your colours.
10) I painted darker green, then a lighter green.
10) I painted darker green, then a lighter green.
11) The half egg cartons that slide underneath, paint in a bright orange.
11) The half egg cartons that slide underneath, paint in a bright orange.
12) When all is dry, hot glue together.
12) When all is dry, hot glue together.
13) Find another egg cup to make a funky hat. Snip and open up egg cup and glue on top of the head with hot glue.
13) Find another egg cup to make a funky hat. Snip and open up egg cup and glue on top of the head with hot glue.
14) Now you can glue on the googly eyes.
14) Now you can glue on the googly eyes.
15) Finally paint the triangular mouth in white. This gives the caterpillar a surprised look!
15) Finally paint the triangular mouth in white. This gives the caterpillar a surprised look!

USEFUL TIPS FOR EGG CARTON CARTERPILLAR.

    HOW TO MAKE.

  • Check out the egg cup boxes and find where you can cut out decent shapes to create your caterpillar.
  • You will need at least six egg cups in a row, or two three egg cups sections.
  • One side of the egg cartons is whole, but the other side has open gaps. To make them look more whole, I added the three rounded half-cut egg cups to complete the shape.
  • Although you can leave this part out, and leave the open gaps as they are.

    THE FACE!

  • The underside of two egg cups makes a good face.
  • Two circular shapes make great eye areas.
  • Find these shapes and cut two out in one go.
  • Pull them together and tape them to hold them in place, making a point which you can slide into a cut opening on the neck of the body.
  • Push through and secure with tape, then hot glue to hold in place.

    PAINTING.

  • You can choose your colours. I decided on greens and orange, just like the Hungry Caterpillars’ colours.

    LEGS OR NOT.

  • I decided not to include the legs, as I felt the egg cartons were enough to show a simplified caterpillar.

HERE ARE ALL THREE EGG CARTON INSECTS!

The egg carton bee.
The egg carton ant.
All the egg carton insects including the caterpillar.

SUMMING UP THIS PROJECT!

Let’s check in, here you have three great egg carton insect craft, or bug activities to craft with your kids.

As the pattern on the egg cup looked like spectacles, I painted the round shape, and it kind of works. Also, I made a floppy type of hat for the caterpillar; these extras add to the character of each insect.

You can personalise each insect how you like!

Decide what you like from these activities and allow your kids to create their version.

At the same time, your kids can learn about these insects, how they look, and their purpose.

Etsy logo

Other than crafting the insects in this post, and if you are looking for more, then Etsy is the place to go for alternative insect craft kits, which have everything to keep your kids busy

There you’ll find bugs or any creepy crawlies activity packs, that would fill in those moments where your kids are looking for something creative to do!

When you click links in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps support the craft projects shared on this website.😀
(Affiliate disclosure)

LET’S GO INSECT HUNTING!

Bug Hotel Kits!
Bug Hotel Kits!

How about making your very own Bug Hotel kit?

These great wooden kits contain all the parts that your child can simply slot together, and once completed, they can get decorating!

Jump into Etsy and find the one that suits you and your garden!

COMPLETE AND DECORATE!

Check out resources available at Etsy for multi-surface pens and paints to jazz up the insect hotel.

Once your bug hotel is completed, set it in the grass area, and there is no restriction, and then critters can come and go freely!

Your kid can just watch and learn all about the insect’s secrets! Shhhhhhhh!

TO CONCLUDE!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

In this post, I show you how to make these simple insects by recycling your egg cartons into an Egg Carton Insect Craft!

WHICH INSECTS?

I demonstrate how to craft three insects or bugs. A bumblebee, an ant and a caterpillar.

You can do all three, or pick one that suits you!

LEARN AND PLAY!

Whilst your kids are making these garden creatures, they could also be learning about the life cycle of every one of them!

CHECK OUT YOUR GARDENS!

Especially now, spring is upon us, and we are becoming inundated with all these creepy crawlies!

So get your kids out there and have a look, insects are amazing creatures in their world, and what they get up to.

Children can learn so much simply by watching, recording and asking questions!

Remember to hold on to your egg cartons, because they are the bases of your creations!

If you are interested in crafting another type of insect, like a Spider, then check out this previous post, where I show you how to craft an Incy Wincy Spider! (following the classic nursery rhyme, the Incy Wincy Spider, climbed up the water spout…..)

INCY WINCY SPIDER ACTIVITIES.
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10 thoughts on “EGG CARTON INSECT CRAFT!”

  1. Hi Julia!
    This is such a cute post about crafting the creepy crawlers. I think we still have a copy of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” on our bookshelf! My grandkids loved for us to read it to them when they were little. I would encourage everyone with kids to get a copy!
    Your crafts are great and you give great instructions and ideas. I will pass this on to mothers of young children!
    Kudos!
    – Scott

    Reply

    1. Hey Scott, I am so glad you enjoyed this article and find my instruction easy to follow! I also appreciate you passing on my project ideas, as I am sure kids would love making these fun insects! I agree with you ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’is a great story for kids to follow the life cycle of a caterpillar, and its written in such a way, that kids learn to count, discover different fruits and foods and see the outcome of the caterpillar!
      This spring term in our school, we are actually studying ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and to accompany this book, kids can watch some caterpillars evolve into beautiful butterflies’, then they are released once they have fully developed, into the school garden!
      So please look out for my next post, as I will try to capture this event where possible! and design and craft a butterly as a follow up to this post!
      Once again thanks for your super comment and Happy Crafting!
      Julia.?

      Reply

  2. Hey,

    This is a really interesting article because I am part of the Educator’s Coaching Academy trying to get my coaching diploma. There are so many nursery and infant school teachers who would love to learn from you in the academy.

    So, I am going to share this article with them and encourage them to take on egg carton craft insect with their small students. But also to share it with their teacher colleagues who could do the same.

    There are so many other ideas on your site that they could look into also, so I will encourage them to look deeper 🙂

    Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work.

    All the best,

    Tom

    Reply

    1. Wow,Tom!I am very grateful for such an inspiring comment! I am also so glad you are in praise of other projects and that they can be great activities for others in the education sector, to introduce to their children.
      My aim within my website is to encourage and recycle regular throw-outs into lots of fun and easy activities, so we can can do our bit and help in the reduction of our land-filled sites, and in doing so to educate our next generation to be more considerate in the health of our planet!
      So thank you so much for you kind words, and I would loved to hear how others get on with any project and maybe send me pics and I can add them as an update within that post!
      Happy Crafting!
      Julia.?

      Reply

  3. Wow Julia,

    this is an incredible idea you have and I love the website how you formatted it with unusual and exciting fonts and colours.
    Great way to keep kids away from screens and onto something they can create by hand.
    Well done.

    Reply

    1. Hi Helen, thanks for your super comment! That is my intention, I tried to keep it kiddy friendly, so if it’s kids viewing the project or parents, I want to capture their attention and make crafting fun, especially to use up their throw-outs and once again, make good use of them!
      Thanks for dropping by and do pop in again for more fun crafting!
      Julia.?

      Reply

  4. Lots of good information here, and thanks for making the instructions so easy to follow. Recycling material like egg cartons for eco-friendly crafting is an innovative idea. I will save this article to share with friends and family.

    Reply

    1. Thanks or your kind comment Joseph, and for finding my instructions easy to follow!
      I would love for you to share where you can, as we can contribute towards recycling our throw-outs and make even if it is a small difference, in reducing the mountain of rubbish build up everywhere, sites, rivers, and streets, and be creative in upcycling all kinds of material, into so many fun and easy projects for our kids to do!
      Once again Thanks for jumping in and sharing your views!
      Julia.?

      Reply

  5. Julia, I’m so impressed with your beautiful website. It has so much good information for children’s raging, exploring minds. The instructions are amazingly easy to follow, and it’s a great learning experience for the children!
    Eco-friendly crafting … who would have thought you could do so many projects with leftovers? And the kids enjoy it so much.
    Your website is exciting and so easy to follow. We have a granddaughter that has a one-year old. I’m going to recommend your website to her. She is very crafty, so she will LOVE this for her son.
    Best of wishes with your endeavors!
    Regards,
    Janice

    Reply

    1. Hey Janice, what lovely comments! I am so glad you enjoyed looking at my website, my aim is to make it fun and and easy to follow for both kids and parents. It is also looking at crafting in a different way, and you are right if we put our minds to it you can create a lot of interesting projects simply by using our throw-outs!
      It’s a pleasure to provide some kind of solution to our recycling and simply up-cycling it with all the different ideas I show within my website, kids do love to cut, chop, squash, glue and paint and if I can inspire them, even a little bit, then it’s been worthwhile!
      Thank for your encouraging comment, always appreciated!
      Happy Crafting!
      Julia.?

      Reply

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