| The Second Most Wonderful Time of the Year... | | | | someone's shirt, rinse immediately with cold water and |
| Easter is second only to Christmas as the most | | | | scrub at the stain with some soap to prevent |
| exciting time of the year for a Sunday school class. | | | | permanent damage. |
| Not only does Easter mean chocolate and candy, it | | | | Dying to get rid of Dye? |
| also gives an opportunity to reflect on the last days of | | | | While coloring Easter eggs is a popular and fun craft, |
| Jesus' life and the sacrifices he made. When looking | | | | many don't like to work with actual dye because of |
| for Sunday school Easter ideas, try crafts that are | | | | the potential for stain. Try one of these other Sunday |
| suitable for children of varying ages. That way, once | | | | school Easter ideas that involve decorating eggs |
| the older children have finished their crafts they can | | | | without dye. Tissue paper makes an excellent |
| start helping the younger ones. | | | | alternative to dye because it's inexpensive and comes |
| Egg-Tastic Colored Eggs | | | | in a variety of fun colors. |
| Many Sunday school Easter ideas revolve around the | | | | To begin, cut the tissue paper into two-inch squares. |
| egg, since it's the most visible symbol for the holiday, | | | | Dip hard-boiled eggs in cold water. Cover the eggs |
| with the most common Easter-related craft being | | | | with the squares of tissue paper, using a variety of |
| dyeing eggs. To prepare the eggs for dyeing, hard-boil | | | | overlapped colors. If the tissue paper isn't wet enough, |
| them in a pot of water for 12 minutes. Make sure the | | | | spritz with water from the plastic sprtizer bottle. Once |
| eggs are laying flat in the bottom of the pot or else | | | | the eggs are fully covered, set them aside in a bowl to |
| they might not boil correctly. Remove the eggs from | | | | dry. When the eggs are dry, the tissue paper will fall |
| the pot with a slotted spoon and plunge them into a | | | | off, revealing a strained-glass like colorful effect on the |
| pot of cold water for approximately one minute. | | | | shells of the eggs. |
| Just before the egg dyeing is about to begin, prepare | | | | Instead of working with real eggs, which can be |
| the dyes. Some like to use store-bought egg coloring | | | | messy, try making these beautiful Styrofoam Easter |
| kits, while others prefer the homemade food coloring | | | | egg decorations. The great thing about working with |
| and vinegar approach. Fill a number of small cups | | | | Styrofoam is that the possibilities for decorations are |
| about half full of warm water. Add 1 teaspoon of | | | | nearly endless, whereas working with real eggs limits |
| vinegar and enough food coloring to produce the | | | | the potential for flair. |
| desired color. | | | | Gather a selection of lace, beads, sequins, silk flowers, |
| Plunge the eggs into the dye using a tablespoon and | | | | strips of fabric, and anything else that might look nice |
| let them sit for a few minutes to absorb the coloring. | | | | on an Easter egg. Use either straight pins or glue to |
| Remove the eggs from the dye and dry them with a | | | | attach the decorations to the Styrofoam eggs. Once |
| piece of paper towel. For additional shine, wipe the | | | | the decoration of the egg is complete, cut a small |
| eggs with vegetable oil. | | | | length of ribbon and attach it to the top of the egg |
| When working with dye, always cover the surface of | | | | using either a straight pin or glue. Hang the eggs from |
| the table with newspaper to prevent any unwanted | | | | trees or plants at home for a decorative Easter touch. |
| stains. If the dye does find its way onto the floor or | | | | |