Egg Carton Apple Craft with a Worm

Back-to-school season always brings back memories of apple orchard field trips with my kids. I went along on several of those trips over the years, and there was something so sweet about watching the children walk through the orchard, pick their own apples, and proudly carry them home. An apple craft like this one is a fun way to build on that experience and help children remember the day long after the field trip is over.

I especially loved seeing the apple crafts my kids brought home from school afterward. They were always given a special place in our house and eventually became part of our fall decorations. This easy egg carton craft has that same homemade charm, with a little pipe cleaner worm peeking out of the apple to make it even more fun.

Made with simple supplies, this apple craft for preschoolers is perfect for an apple orchard theme, a back-to-school classroom activity, or an afternoon of crafting at home. It’s a sweet way to reinforce the fun memory of picking apples together while turning an ordinary egg carton into a fall keepsake.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Apple Craft

• It uses recycled materials. Two cups from a cardboard egg carton become one adorable little apple.
• It works with an apple theme. Make red, yellow, and green apples during a classroom apple unit or after visiting an orchard.
• It’s easy to prepare for younger children. Adults can precut the pieces and make the holes so preschoolers can focus on painting and assembling their apples.
• It encourages creativity. Children can choose their apple color, shape the leaf, and decide whether to add the optional pipe cleaner worm.
• It makes a sweet fall keepsake. These little apples are cute enough to display with your fall decorations at home or in the classroom.

Supplies for This Egg Carton Craft

• Molded paper or cardboard egg carton
• Washable acrylic craft paint in red, green, or yellow
• Paintbrush or foam brush
• Strong tacky craft glue, such as Beacon 3-in-1 Craft Glue
• Brown pipe cleaner for the apple stem, cut to approximately 1 inch
• Green pipe cleaner for the leaf, cut to approximately 2 inches
• Green pipe cleaner for the optional worm, cut to approximately 2 inches
• Two small googly eyes
• Awl for making the holes, for adult use only
• Strong scissors or wire cutters for cutting the pipe cleaners, for adult use only
• Newspaper, kraft paper, or a disposable tablecloth to protect the work surface

How to Make an Egg Carton Apple Craft

Step 1: Cut the Egg Carton

Have an adult cut two individual cups from a molded paper egg carton. Trim the edges so the open sides fit together as evenly as possible.

Step 2: Paint the Apple

Protect the work surface and paint the outside of both egg carton cups red, green, or yellow. Let the paint dry completely before assembling the apple.

Step 3: Glue the Apple Together

Apply strong tacky glue around the open edge of one egg carton cup. Press the second cup against it to create the apple shape. Hold the pieces together briefly, and then let the glue dry.

Step 4: Make the Hole for the Stem and Leaf

Have an adult use an awl to make a small hole in the top of the apple. An awl creates the hole quickly without the twisting and pressure needed when using scissors.

Step 5: Add the Stem

Insert the tip of a short brown pipe cleaner into the hole. Avoid pushing it too far, or it may fall inside the apple. Add a small amount of tacky glue around the opening to secure the stem.

Step 6: Make and Attach the Leaf

Bend a green pipe cleaner into a leaf shape and twist the ends together. Insert the twisted ends into the hole beside the stem and secure the leaf with glue.

Step 7: Make the Optional Worm

Glue two small googly eyes near one end of a short green pipe cleaner. Once the glue has dried, bend the pipe cleaner into a wiggly worm shape.

Step 8: Attach the Worm

Have an adult use the awl to make a small hole in the apple’s side.

Insert the plain end of the worm into the hole and secure it with a small amount of tacky glue.

Step 9: Let the Craft Dry

Allow all of the paint and glue to dry completely before handling or displaying the finished egg carton apple craft.

Apple Color Learning Extension

Paint the egg carton apples red, green, and yellow to turn this craft into a simple follow-up activity about the different colors of apples. After an apple orchard visit or classroom lesson, children can identify the colors they saw, choose which type of apple they want to make, and compare their finished apple crafts. It’s an easy way to combine creative play with color recognition and reinforce what they learned.

Making This Apple Craft with Preschoolers

This apple craft for preschoolers works best when an adult prepares some of the smaller pieces in advance. Cut apart the egg carton cups and precut the pipe cleaners before beginning. An adult should also use the awl to make the holes for the stem, leaf, and optional worm.

Preschoolers can paint their egg carton pieces, choose the color of their apple, and help press the two halves together. They can also shape the pipe cleaner worm and insert the prepared stem and leaf with assistance. Because the googly eyes are small and can be challenging to attach, teachers or parents may want to assemble the worms ahead of time.

Always supervise children when using glue and small craft supplies. Allow plenty of drying time between painting and assembling the apples to keep wet paint from spreading across little hands and the work surface.

More Apple Crafts for Kids

Continue your apple theme with more of these fun apple crafts for kids. Make an apple-stamped mason jar, an apple suncatcher craft, create an apple core from a paper plate, or make an apple stamping craft. These projects are perfect for back-to-school season, an apple orchard unit, or decorating the classroom for fall.