Almost everyone with kids knows about coloring Easter eggs. Here are five ways to create interesting designs.

Making The Egg Ready

Cook the eggs before you start coloring the Easter eggs. Do not to let the eggs sit in boiling water. How it's done: place the eggs, single layer, in a saucepan fill to a minimum of one inch of cold water covering the shells cover the pot with a lid, bringing the water to a boil using medium heat when the water comes to a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand

The following time limits will get the eggs to the hardened state you want. For large soft-cooked eggs, let the egg stand in hot water 1 – 4 minutes For large hard-cooked eggs, let the egg stand in hot water 15 – 17 minutes

When time is up, drain the water and immediately cover the eggs with cold water and a few ice cubes to cool them down. Older eggs will peel easier.

The Kit

For years the basic PAAS Easter egg coloring kit was the only kit available. They were fun to use, but limited. Today's kids have a wide variety of kits to choose from containing stickers, holders, and many other options.

Home Made Dyes

Here is a method of Easter egg coloring using home made dyes. You need: Food colors of choice Vinegar A cup deep enough to hold the egg and water

How to make the dye and colored Easter eggs: combine ½ - 1 tablespoon of food coloring with 2 teaspoon of vinegar in the cup add water until the cup is about half full gently place the egg into the cup and let stand

The longer the eggs sit in the dye, the darker the coloring of the Easter egg will be. After removing the egg, pat it down with a paper towel and put into a holder.

Rubber Band Designs

This is a fun method of creating designs when coloring Easter eggs. Here's how it's done. wrap the rubber bands around your hard cooked eggs prepare the food dye as above drop the eggs into the food coloring remove the eggs, pat dry and then remove the rubber bands drop the eggs into a different color dye for more colors

If you want more colors, use more rubber bands, removing each one as you change colors.

Marbling

This will produce interesting designs when coloring Easter eggs. You need: a mug or large jar big enough for one egg 1 tablespoon of oil (preferably vegetable oil) 1 tablespoon of vinegar 1 tablespoon of food coloring water

How to do it: combine the oil, vinegar and food coloring in the mug add enough water to cover the egg stir the mix quickly with a spoon drop the egg in and then pull the egg out fast pat dry

Sponge Painting

This is another method for coloring Easter eggs. You need: a sponge cut into small pieces acrylic paint shallow dish or wax paper clothes pins

Making the designs: clip the sponge pieces with a paper clip (one per each color used) put the paint into dishes on wax paper dip the sponge into the paint and then dab the egg with it

For parents with limited time, there are stickers and craft ideas for use with large plastic Easter eggs.