Step-by-step: Edgy Easter Bunny crafting with kids

Most Easter Bunnies are cute and fluffy, but this one has a hard DIY edge that has interesting advantages for children’s development. “My philosophy is that children get benefits from using real tools as soon as possible (and science backs this up),” says Meredith Huston, a certified elementary school teacher and founder of Turquoise Boutique Studio, a creative arts company in Dubai offering DIY experiences, tutorials and DIY Kits. “It helps with development of fine and gross motor skills and general grit for learning new things that may seem difficult. Little fingers and hands can learn quickly!” Here’s how to make your own Easter Bunny String Art with kids…

Depending on the age of your child, parents might want to be more or less involved: “6-to-7-year-olds can help Mum and Dad - especially kids used to doing crafts and creating things with their hands,” says Meredith. “8-to-9-year-olds can complete the project with help from Mum and Dad, while 10+ year olds can complete the project with just some check-ins and guidance.” Parents can use pliers or tweezers to hold the nail for little ones, and you can get smaller pipe hammers for smaller children to try.

SUPPLIES: Your base here is a wooden block, along with a selection of nails. You’ll also need to find a bunny-outline template, which you can easily print out for free from online. Other materials are: White string; pink wool; a cardboard disc with a hole in the centre to use a pom-pom maker; hammer; scissors; ruler and pencil.

STEP 1: Create a Design with any outline you prefer (we’ve gone with a bunny for Easter of course) --plan each nail for about 1 cm apart.

STEP 2: Hammer in the nails around your chosen outline template.

Check to make sure the nails are straight and all the same height.

STEP 3: This step is optional depending on how you want your final design to look but, if you like, string up your nail design. Begin by tying a double knot with a long tail. Go around the outline with the string first.

Here's how it looks close up.

After completing your outline, make a criss-cross pattern across the design with your string until it makes you happy, then tie off where you started using the first long tail.

STEP 4: Start making the pink pom pom tail using a pom pom maker or with a simple cardboard tool.

STEP 5: Wrap your yarn around cardboard – here we did it about 15 times.

STEP 6: Send another piece of yarn through the gap and around the edge to tie all the strands together.

STEP 7: Tie a tight double knot.

STEP 8: Cut the sides, while keeping the long double knotted piece separate.

STEP 9: While holding the long double knot piece of string, trim your pom pom.

STEP 10: Attach the pom pom onto two nails - and ta-da! Your Easter bunny is ready.

Now your Easter bunny is ready to grace your Easter table, or to be mounted on the wall in recognition of a job well done.