Quick Critter Disguises

Total Time Needed:: 1 Hour

Use empty egg cartons to create impromptu animal disguises.

Materials

Scissors
Egg carton
Stapler
Sewing elastic
Light-gauge craft wire
Hole punch

Headband
Glue
Tempera paint
Paintbrush
Construction paper
Pipe cleaners

Instructions

For any of the following designs, start with this basic pattern. Cut out an individual egg cup, make breathing holes in the bottom, and staple the ends of sewing elastic (cut to fit around your child's head) to the sides.
Cut ears out of the carton top, punch holes in the bases, and use light-gauge craft wire to attach them to a headband. For extra support, spread glue on the base of the ears before wiring them on.
RABBIT: Coat the outside of an egg cup with white acrylic paint. Let dry, then glue a pink pom-pom to the front of the nose. Draw a mouth beneath the pom-pom with a colored marker. Use the end of a paper clip to poke three holes in both sides of the nose, then feed white pipe cleaner whiskers through the holes.
To allow enough room for your child's nose, gently push the centers of the pipe cleaners into the bottom of the egg cup. Cut rabbit ears from the corners of your carton lid. Paint the backs white and the inner folds pink.
CAT: Make a nose in the same manner used for the rabbit, except paint it an orange hue to look like a tabby (or jet black for a Halloween cat) and add matching whiskers. In place of the pom-pom, use a small triangle cut out of construction paper. Cut cat ears from the corners of the carton lid as well, but make them shorter with slightly pointed tips.
PIG: For a snout, paint an egg cup pink. Once it dries, draw on large circular nostrils with a black marker. Cut broad pig ears from the flat portion of the egg carton lid. Fold the base of one ear so that it flops forward.
DOG: To make this nose, paint an egg cup brown, black or white with black spots. Glue a construction paper triangle to the front and use a colored marker to draw on a mouth. Cut floppy or pointed ears out of the egg carton lid.