The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · March 2015
Ages4–8 yrs
Prep20 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Kids draw patterns or faces on sandpaper egg cut-outs with fluorescent chalk, which glows under a blacklight if you have one. Then string the eggs on baker's twine for an Easter garland that looks bright in daylight too.
⚠️ Safety first
- An adult cuts the sandpaper. Cut edges and grit are rough on small hands.
- If you use a blacklight, kids shouldn't stare into the bulb. Keep the cord out of the way of the work table.
- Some chalk dust falls off the eggs. Don't let kids blow the dust or put the chalk in their mouths, and wash hands afterward.
- Chalk is an art supply, not food. Supervise younger children.
Before the kids arrive
- Print a simple egg outline. Trace it on the back of the sandpaper and cut out small oval eggs.
- Pick a spot to hang the finished garland: a wall, a mantel or a plain wall for a banner.
Steps
Set out the sandpaper eggs and the fluorescent chalk.
Optional: plug in the blacklight and dim the room lights so the colors glow.
Draw stripes, zigzags, dots or even funny faces on your eggs with the chalk.
Don't press the chalk hard into the sandpaper, but don't go too light either. Find a good balance.
Keep adding colors until your egg is full of patterns, and watch them glow.
Pick up the finished eggs gently. A little chalk dust will fall off.
Tape the eggs along a length of baker's twine.
Hang the garland on a wall or mantel and admire it.
After dark, turn off all the lights and shine the blacklight on your garland.
Tips
- Since we have our blacklight, we did our art project with the light on and it surely did double the fun. The colors fluoresced beautifully.from the author
- We just kept reminding the kids to not really press the chalk onto the sandpaper. I wouldn't lay on the chalk too light either. Just find a good balance.from the author
- Don't forget to buy a fine sandpaper and not a heavy one. The chalk won't last if the paper is too coarse.from the author
- Once you pick up the eggs some of the chalk dust does fall off, but not much honestly. The label says it is dustless.from the author
- You DON'T need a blacklight to have fun with this. The egg garland looks gorgeous in daylight and will make your home festive.from the author
- My 6-year-old was all into creating faces and not into making traditional patterns on the eggs. Let them make it their own.from the author
- I think the best way to enjoy this project is to have the kids create their eggs under black light and then simply hang them on your wall.from the author
Make it your own
- Draw faces on the eggs instead of traditional patterns.
- Hang the eggs as a banner on a plain wall.
- Skip the blacklight and make a daylight pastel garland.
- Turn off all the lights after dark and flash the blacklight on the hanging garland.
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