Earlier this week we made a set of recycled egg carton cup ducklings, and shared a little trick to help make them float (!!!). They were such an incredible hit, we decided to use up the stack of egg cartons we had sitting on a shelf and visit the ocean – with an egg carton cup floating whale!
Our little baby Beluga (to be exact) is a cinch to make, so you can create a whole pod – even different species, depending on the colors you use and shapes of your egg carton cups.
To get you in the proper whale-crafting headspace, gather your materials and turn up this Raffi playlist for solid Beluga jams. This sweet little egg carton whale ended up being a fantastic STEAM learning opportunity and a fun way for kids to participate in creating a bit of science in action!
Find a kids’ activity or craft to go along with ALL of your favorite Raffi songs with our Raffi song + project collection here!
To make your own floating egg carton whale you’ll need:
BASIC SUPPLIES:
- An egg carton cup + small square of egg carton
- White, gray or blue paint and a paint brush
- A baby food jar lid
- A small piece of blue construction paper or cardstock
- Craft glue or a hot glue gun
- An X-Acto knife or small pair of craft scissors
- A permanent marker, black paper or googley eyes
OPTIONAL:
- A baking dish filled with water (this makes a quick and easy “ocean!)
- A blue sheet of paper (slip this under your baking dish to instantly create a blue-tinted ocean without having to add food coloring to your water)
- Shells, sand or other beachy nature items to add to your ocean tray
Click below to watch our whale bob around a mini sensory ocean tray!
Egg Carton Cup Floating Whale Instructions:
- Cut an egg cup from the carton and paint
Cut an egg cup from an egg carton and paint white, gray or blue (depending on the type of whale you’re making).
- Cut out a whale tail and paint
Cut a simple whale tail shape out of your egg carton and paint the same color as your egg carton cup – we used a portion of the egg carton box that had already been formed into a bend).
- Glue tail to the back of your egg carton cup
Once your whale pieces have dried, use a hot glue gun or craft glue to glue the tail to the back of your whale.
- Add a water spout on top
For the water spout…
Cut a small rectangle of blue paper.
Cut thin lines into the paper, about 1/8″ from each other, and about 1/8″ from the bottom edge.
Use a hot glue gun or craft glue to affix to the middle of the whale as shown. - Draw on eyes and a mouth
Draw eyes and a mouth on with a permanent marker.
- Push finished whale into a baby jar lid
Gently pop your egg carton whale into a baby food jar lid – now it will float
Looking for ways to use this beyond a sensory bin or cool floating lesson? This is a wonderful opportunity to initiate a conversation about whale conservation, how we keep our oceans clean, the dangers of plastics to ocean-life, or general habitat health.
For another great egg carton activity, grab some playdough and try these simple turtle-themed invitations to play. Or, if you’re loving the beach vibe, build a seaside castle from the comfort of your playroom with our moon sand DIY!
Feeling especially crafty? Try making your own easy (I promise!) DIY scrap wood beachside dollhouse.
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