Make Adorable DIY Egg Carton Turtles — Easy Kids' Craft in Minutes

DIY egg carton turtles are an easy, eco-friendly craft that's perfect for kids or a relaxing solo project. With a few basic supplies you probably already have at home, you can transform recycled egg cartons into charming little turtles — paint, decorate, and personalize each one for a fun outcome.

Egg carton cut and painted to form a turtle shell and body.

Supplies You’ll Need

• Egg carton
• Green acrylic paint
• Yellow acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Red marker
• Black marker
• Scissors
• Googly eyes
• 2x round stickers for cheeks (or use pink/red marker)

All basic supplies laid out and ready to craft.

How to Make a DIY Egg Carton Turtle

1. Draw the turtle shape. Use a black marker to sketch the outline of the turtle’s body and shell onto the egg carton.
2. Cut out the turtle. Carefully cut along the lines with sharp scissors. Cutting egg cartons can be fiddly, so take your time for clean edges.

Cutting the turtle shape from the egg carton.

3. Paint the base colors. Paint the turtle’s body with yellow paint and the shell with green paint. Allow the first coat to dry; apply a second coat if needed for even coverage.
4. Dry fully. Let the paint dry for 20–30 minutes. Use a hairdryer to speed drying if you like.

Painting the turtle’s body and shell; add a second coat if necessary.

5. Add shell details. With a black marker, draw geometric shapes on the green shell to represent the turtle’s scutes (the plates on a turtle’s shell). Start in the center and work outward until the shell is covered to your liking.
6. Finish the face. Glue or stick on googly eyes and add round stickers (or use a marker) for rosy cheeks. Use a red marker to draw a smile and a black marker for small facial details.
7. Enjoy your turtle. Your cute egg carton turtle is complete — display it, use it in imaginative play, or make a whole family of turtles in different colors.

Finished egg carton turtle decorated with googly eyes, sticker cheeks and a marker smile.