Hosting An Easter Egg Decorating Party

This fun Easter tradition easily become the perfect Spring party.

Decorations and the Buffet for Your Party

Pull out your favorite pastel-colored linens and serving pieces for this charming spring party.

Create a blooming centerpiece by arranging a group of purchased, potted, flowering bulbs in the center of your table. Or use small potted bulbs as place cards by simply writing each guest's name on the pot using pastel-colored, fabric puff paint.

Alternatively, decorate an Easter tree with egg ornaments to serve as your table centerpiece, or look to any of our Easter-themed tables.

Make this a brunch or lunchtime party. Serve a buffet that features quintessential springtime food items such as asparagus, strawberries, and a spiral sliced ham. Deviled egg appetizers will bring a smile to the faces of your guests, but be sure to make enough since they will disappear thanks to their popularity with guests of all ages. Try our fun Crispy Rice Easter Egg Pops to add whimsy to your party.

You'll need to prepare the egg decorating work area by covering your table(s) with newspaper, craft paper, or colorful plastic covers.

Be sure to have a large roll of paper towels handy for little decorators to dry their hands, to mop up any spills, and to wipe the dipped eggs.

Hard boil six to one dozen eggs for each guest prior to your party.

To create permanent Easter eggs, blow them out instead of boiling them. Wash and dry an uncooked egg, use a large needle to poke a hole in both ends, and gently scramble the yoke with the needle, before blowing through the hole on one side. Rinse and dry before dyeing. Since the eggs will be more delicate, this technique isn’t recommended for young children.

Set up cooling racks in the center of the work area to use as a place to dry the eggs.

You’ll want to have art smocks or large, baggy t-shirts to protect the clothing of your youngest egg decorators.

Each decorator will need something to hold their eggs as they dip them in the dye. You can fashion dippers out of craft wire by cutting a 12” piece of wire and bending a loop at the bottom large enough to hold an egg. Even easier, you can provide a slotted spoon for each guest.

You’ll need to provide your decorators with a container for bringing home their creations. It could be as simple as an egg carton, or more festive like a pastel colored basket that’s been filled with Easter grass.

If you’re looking for another craft activity, provide each child with a small white bag (available in craft stores) that is large enough to hold their eggs. Supply them with markers, crayons, and Easter theme stickers and let them decorate their bags for the holiday.

The easiest way to make the egg dye is to purchase a commercial kit for that purpose, and follow the instructions on the kit.

However, it’s almost as simple to make your own dyes with the following ingredients for each color:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• approximately 1/4 teaspoon food color (a little more or less will change the intensity of your color)
• 1 tsp white vinegar

Mix the ingredients for each color in a bowl that’s deep enough to cover an egg. Be sure to have at least one bowl of dip for each decorator so that no one is left waiting.

Tell your decorators that the longer they leave the eggs in the dye the deeper the color will be.

If you and your guests would like tie-dyed eggs, add one tablespoon of cooking oil to the bowl. After the eggs have dried, they can be dipped in another color for extra effect. Rubber bands can be wrapped around the eggs in varying patterns before dipping to create stripes.

By using white crayons, your decorators can first write their name or other design on the eggs, and that area will stay white after dipping.

After eggs have been dipped in the dye, gently wipe them with a cloth and place on the racks to dry.

Polish dry eggs with a drop of cooking oil and soft cloth.

A thin layer of craft glue can be painted over the dipped and dried (but unpolished) eggs, and then sprinkled with glitter.

Supply younger crafters with a variety of stickers to decorate their eggs.

Eggs shouldn’t be left out beyond two hours without refrigerating.

Decorating Easter eggs will be the main activity for your party but here are fun games you can play to pass the time while the eggs dry.

Easter Egg Hunt - Fill colorful plastic eggs with small chocolates, coins, figurines, or toys. Hide them before your party, either inside your home, or outside, depending on the weather.

Egg Toss - Only play this game inside if you’re using plastic eggs. Divide your guests into two lines facing each other, spaced a foot apart, and give an egg to each player on one side. On your signal they will toss the egg to the person facing them. Any pair that drops their egg is out of the game. Move the players farther apart with each successive round. The last pair that hasn’t dropped their egg is the winner.

A fun Easter treat for your favorite bunnies.