The easiest Letter E crafts start with a big block E cut from cardstock or a cereal box, then covered with collage scraps, tissue paper, or stamped dots. Most take 20 to 30 minutes with a glue stick and safety scissors, and the adult does the cutting for kids under five. Pair each craft with an E word, like egg, elephant, or envelope, so the letter sound sticks.
The note in your kid’s folder says it’s E week: Bring something that starts with E. You’re looking at an egg carton, the electric bill’s envelope, and a very serious five year old waiting for an idea.
Good news, both of those are crafts. These 15 Letter E crafts turn everyday scraps into letter of the week crafts you can finish in about half an hour, with a glue stick and a pair of scissors.
Each one has a mess rating, a realistic time, and a note on what to cut ahead, so these letter E crafts for preschoolers and kindergartners also work as quiet classroom projects and rainy day alphabet crafts for kids.
It’s late October, so save the evergreen tree scene for December and the Earth collages for Earth Day on April 22. The rest work any week of the year.
How To Choose Letter E Crafts By Age, Mess, and Time
Every project here is beginner level for you. What changes is your kid’s age and how much you cut ahead.
- 3 to 4 years (preschool): Tearing paper, gluing scraps, and stamping dots. Do the big letter collage, the Earth collages, and the eraser stamp E. You cut every E.
- 5 to 6 years (kindergarten): They can cut with safety scissors, trace, and write an E. Hand over the letter pocket, the paper train, the headband, and the eel puppet. These are also good letter E crafts for preschoolers who are ready for more.
- 7 to 8 years (first and second grade): They can weave, build, and plant. Try the elastic weaving board, the craft stick E, the eggshell mosaic, and the garden E, and add word cards they write themselves.
Mess ratings mean this. Low is paper and a glue stick, so a wiped table is enough. Medium is liquid glue, tissue paper, or soil. High is paint, glitter, or eggshell bits everywhere. Time covers cutting, gluing, and decorating, but not drying.
Letter E activities work best with a short E word attached. E makes more than one sound, so pick words that match what you’re teaching. Short E: egg, elephant, elbow, envelope, engine, elf. Long E: eel, eagle, evergreen. R controlled: ear and Earth. For letter of the week crafts, one craft a day with a new word each time is plenty.
Practical note: Cut the E before your kid sits down, and make it fat. A skinny E tears, curls under wet glue, and can’t hold a pocket or an egg. Start with a 6 by 9 inch rectangle and cut two notches from the right edge, each 4 inches long and 1.5 inches tall. The first notch runs from 2 to 3.5 inches below the top edge, and the second runs from 5.5 to 7 inches below the top edge. That gives you a block E with 2 inch bars.
Safety and Mess Notes Before You Start
Every craft here needs an adult nearby for scissors, glue, and small parts. A few use eggshells, plastic eggs, or elastic bands, which need extra care.
Practical note: Treat eggshells like raw chicken. Rinse them, boil them for several minutes, dry them, and wash everyone’s hands afterward. Skip the eggshell crafts for kids who still put things in their mouths.
- Eggshells: Shells from raw eggs can carry Salmonella, so sanitize them first. Crushed shell is also sharp and small, so supervise closely.
- Plastic eggs with rice: Tape the seam shut with strong tape, or have an adult use hot glue. If an egg pops open, rice is a choking hazard, so this one is not for kids under three.
- Elastic bands: They can snap back into an eye. Keep them stretched away from faces, use the weaving board for ages 6 and up, and check for latex if your kid has a sensitivity.
- Craft knife and slits: You handle the knife, the eel slit, and the notches. A pencil tip and scissors make a safer slit for most kids’ puppets.
- Glitter: Loose glitter ends up in eyes and carpet. Use glitter glue instead.
- Paint: Use washable tempera labeled nontoxic, not acrylic, which stains clothes for good.
- Headbands: Tape the band closed. Staples near a child’s head are an adult job at best.
- Magnets: Skip loose magnets on anything for young kids, since swallowed magnets cause serious injuries.
- Soil and seeds: Wash hands after planting, and keep seeds and soil out of mouths.
I keep a mess kit in one bin so setup takes two minutes.
Supplies, Where To Buy Them, and Free Swaps
Most Letter E crafts need cardstock, glue, and scraps. Everything else is probably already in the house: envelopes, craft sticks, and the eggs themselves. Alphabet crafts for kids are cheaper when you save a few cereal boxes and a stack of junk mail. Here are the items that come up most, with a free or cheap swap for each.
| Supply | Where to buy | Free or low cost swap |
| Cardstock | Dollar store, Walmart | Cereal box or shipping box cardboard |
| Colored paper scraps | Dollar store | Junk mail, magazine pages, and gift wrap scraps |
| Washable tempera paint | Walmart, Target (Crayola) | Plain yogurt stirred with food coloring |
| Glue sticks and school glue | Walmart, Target (Elmer’s) | Clear tape, for paper projects |
| Tacky glue | Michaels, Walmart (Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue) | A glue gun, used by an adult |
| Tissue paper | Dollar store | Crumpled colored paper or magazine pages |
| Plastic Easter eggs | Dollar store (spring), Walmart | Any small plastic container with a snap lid |
| Craft sticks | Dollar store, Michaels | Strips cut from a cereal box |
| Hair elastics or loom bands | Dollar store, Amazon | Rubber bands from the junk drawer (check for latex) |
| Grass seed and potting soil | Home Depot, Walmart | Leftover soil from a houseplant and seeds from a neighbor |
| Glitter glue | Dollar store | Skip it, or use foil scraps |
Practical note: A glue stick holds paper and almost nothing else. Plastic eggs, craft sticks, and eggshells need tacky glue or an adult with a hot glue gun.
I keep one bin of basics for every letter of the alphabet.
Letter E Crafts At A Glance
The projects below show up in a mixed order, so use this table as your index. These alphabet crafts for kids are sorted from least messy to most messy, and each name jumps to its section. The two Earth collages have near identical headings, so the first one is the magazine version and the second one is the tissue paper version.
| Craft | Mess | Time | What you prep | Best ages |
| Big Letter E Collage | Low | 25 minutes | Cut a fat E | 3 to 7 |
| Envelope E Letter Pocket | Low | 20 minutes | Cut the E | 4 to 8 |
| Envelope-Flip E Book | Low | 30 minutes | Cut the E, label envelopes | 5 to 8 |
| E is for Engine Paper Train | Low | 25 minutes | Cut the E and engine parts | 4 to 8 |
| E is for Ear Headband | Low | 25 minutes | Cut the band and ears | 4 to 8 |
| E is for Eel Paper Puppet | Low | 25 minutes | Cut the slit | 4 to 8 |
| Popsicle Stick E with Emoji Faces | Low | 25 minutes plus drying | Glue the sticks | 5 to 8 |
| E is for Evergreen Tree Scene | Low | 25 minutes | Cut the E and triangles | 4 to 8 |
| E-Shaped Elastic Weaving Board | Low | 30 minutes | Cut the E and notches | 6 to 8 |
| E is for Egg Shaker | Low | 20 minutes | Cut the E, tape the eggs | 4 to 8 |
| E Is for Earth Collage | Low | 25 minutes | Cut the E | 4 to 8 |
| E is for Earth Collage | Medium | 25 minutes plus drying | Cut the E | 3 to 7 |
| Eggshell Garden E | Medium | 30 minutes plus a week | Sanitize shells, seal the E | 5 to 8 |
| Sparkly E with Eraser-Stamp Dots | High | 25 minutes plus drying | Cut the E, tape paper down | 3 to 7 |
| Glittery E Eggshell Mosaic | High | 30 minutes plus drying | Sanitize and dye the shells | 5 to 8 |
If you’re planning a few craft afternoons for E week, save this page to your alphabet board on Pinterest so the table and the E template steps are easy to find.
The 15 Letter E Crafts
Each project lists its mess level, time, and what you prep ahead. These letter E crafts for preschoolers and older kids work best when you attach an E word and say it out loud while you make it.
1. E is for Egg Shaker
A shaker that makes real noise is what makes this one of the best letter E activities for restless kids. The trade off is small parts. Rice in a plastic egg is a choking hazard if the egg pops open, so tape the seam well and skip this one for kids under three.
Mess: Low. Time: 20 minutes. You prep: Cut the E and tape the eggs. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large cardboard Letter E, cut from thick shipping box cardboard
- 1 to 2 plastic Easter eggs (or small plastic containers with snap lids)
- Dry rice or beans
- Strong tape, and tacky glue or an adult with a hot glue gun
- Stickers or colorful tape for decoration
How to make it:
- Put about a tablespoon of rice in each egg, snap it shut, and wrap the seam twice with strong tape.
- Glue and tape the eggs onto the middle bar of the E. Let the glue set for a few minutes.
- Decorate the E with stickers or colorful tape.
- Shake gently and sing an E song.
Tip: Wrap the tape around the seam twice. Eggs pop open on the first drop.
2. Big Letter E Collage
A bold block E covered in paper scraps and stickers is the easiest Letter E craft here and a low pressure one for preschoolers. Kids choose their own colors, and nothing can go wrong.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut a fat E. Best for: 3 to 7 years.
Materials Needed:
- Cardstock or cereal box cardboard for a sturdy E
- Colored paper scraps (junk mail and magazine pages work)
- Glue stick
- Child safe scissors
- Stickers or washi tape, optional
How to make it:
- Draw and cut a large block Letter E from cardstock or box board.
- Cut or tear the colored paper into small pieces.
- Glue the scraps to cover the E, adding stickers or tape for flair.
- Let it dry flat, then hang it on a door or classroom wall.
Tip: Start gluing along the outline of the E and work in. If you start in the middle, the edges end up bare.
3. Popsicle Stick E with Emoji Faces
A chunky craft stick E with tiny emoji faces gives kids a way to talk about feelings while they practice the shape. The trade off is wood glue time. Glue sticks don’t hold wood, so use tacky glue and wait. The word emoji doesn’t start with the classic short E sound, so pair this one with egg or elf when you teach the sound.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes, plus about an hour for the glue to set. You prep: Glue the E together. Best for: 5 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- 4 jumbo craft sticks (or strips of cereal box)
- Yellow paper circles (punch them from paper)
- Markers
- Tacky glue, such as Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
- A string loop or tape to hang it (skip loose magnets for young kids)
How to make it:
- Glue the craft sticks into a capital E: one vertical stick and three horizontal sticks.
- Press the joints for a minute, then let the glue set.
- Cut or punch small yellow circles.
- Draw emoji faces on the circles and glue them along the E bars.
- Tape on a string loop to hang it on a wall or door.
4. E is for Eel Paper Puppet
A long, wavy eel that slides through a slit in a big E is a puppet and one of the more playful letter E activities for a story time. Eel starts with a long E sound, so it’s a good contrast with egg. The slit is the part to get right: make it slightly wider than the paper strip, or the eel jams.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut the slit. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large Letter E on cardstock
- A long strip of green or blue paper, about 2 by 18 inches
- Markers and a googly eye (or a paper eye)
- Tape
- A craft stick for a handle, optional
How to make it:
- Cut a horizontal slit about 3 inches long along the middle bar of the E. Poke a hole with the tip of the scissors, then snip.
- Draw and cut a wavy eel shape from the strip, and add an eye and stripes.
- Slide the eel through the slit and tape a craft stick to the end as a handle.
- Move the eel back and forth so it swims through the E, and tell a story.
5. E Is for Earth Collage
This is the flat magazine version of the Earth collage, and it uses recycled paper only. Kids tear blue and green pages into scraps and glue them into an E that looks like oceans and land. It’s ready for Earth Day on April 22, but works any week.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut the E. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A cardstock Letter E
- Blue and green magazine pages (or colored junk mail)
- Glue stick or white glue
- White paper or magazine bits for clouds
- Ribbon for hanging, optional
How to make it:
- Cut a large E from the cardstock.
- Tear the blue and green pages into small pieces and sort them into two piles.
- Glue the pieces down, overlapping them, so the blue looks like water and the green looks like land.
- Add small white clouds, then tape on a ribbon loop to hang your Earthy E.
Tip: Look for ocean and sky photos in magazines. The natural color shifts make the collage look more like a real planet.
6. Envelope E Letter Pocket
A big E with an envelope on the middle bar becomes a pocket for tiny drawings and alphabet cards. Kids like tucking notes inside while they practice the letter. The trade off is glue. Keep it off the flap, or the pocket won’t open.
Mess: Low. Time: 20 minutes. You prep: Cut the E. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large cardstock Letter E
- A small envelope, any color (one from your own mail works)
- Markers or crayons
- Stickers
- Glue
How to make it:
- Cut a large Letter E from cardstock.
- Glue the back of the envelope to the center bar of the E with the flap facing out. Keep the glue off the flap.
- Decorate the E with markers and stickers, and write E is for Envelope on it.
- Slip tiny drawings or word cards into the pocket and display it.
7. E-Shaped Elastic Weaving Board
A sturdy cardboard E with notches holds colorful hair elastics for simple weaving. Kids like stretching the bands and watching patterns appear. The word elastic starts with a softer vowel sound, so this one is about the shape. Pair it with elephant for the sound.
Mess: Low. Time: 30 minutes. You prep: Cut the E and the notches. Best for: 6 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A thick cardboard Letter E (double layer shipping box cardboard)
- A craft knife, for adult use only, or scissors to snip notches
- Colorful hair elastics or loom bands
- Markers for decorating
- Tape, optional
How to make it:
- Cut a large E from thick cardboard. An adult cuts small notches, about a quarter inch deep, along the edges about every inch.
- Loop elastics across the bars and hook them into the notches to weave.
- Decorate the cardboard around the edges with markers.
- Remove and rearrange the bands to make new designs.
Tip: Slant the notches slightly toward the center of each bar. Straight notches let the bands pop off.
8. Glittery E Eggshell Mosaic
Crushed, dyed eggshells make a mosaic E with a real crunch and a bit of sparkle, and it feels like making real tile art. It’s the messiest and the most careful craft in this guide. Sanitize the shells first, and skip it for kids who still mouth things.
Mess: High. Time: 30 minutes, plus drying. You prep: Sanitize and dye the shells. Best for: 5 to 8 years, with an adult.
Materials Needed:
- Eggshells, rinsed, boiled for several minutes, and dried
- Food coloring and a splash of vinegar for dye (or PAAS egg dye)
- White glue or Mod Podge
- A thick cardstock Letter E
- Glitter glue, or a pinch of fine glitter
- A paintbrush
How to make it:
- Dye the dry shells in food coloring and vinegar, then dry them again.
- Draw and cut a large letter E from sturdy cardstock.
- Brush glue on one section of the E at a time and press in small shell pieces.
- Fill the whole E, then add glitter glue or sprinkle on a little fine glitter.
- Let it dry flat, completely, before you lift it to hang.
Tip: Crush the shells in a zip bag with your hand, not a rolling pin. A rolling pin turns the pieces to dust.
9. E is for Engine Paper Train
Engine starts with a clean short E sound, which makes this a good pick for sound practice. Kids pretend to chug while they glue. The trade off is the shape, since a flat E doesn’t look like a train until you turn it on its back.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut the E and the engine parts. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large Letter E base cut from construction paper
- Black, red, and yellow paper for details
- Bottle caps or paper circles for wheels (use paper circles for kids under three)
- Glue stick
- A cotton ball for smoke, optional
How to make it:
- Cut a large E from colored paper and lay it on its back, so the spine is the train body and the three bars point up like a smokestack, steam dome, and cab.
- Add a rectangle cab, round wheels along the bottom, and a small smokestack on top.
- Glue on a window and stripes, and add a cotton ball for smoke if you like.
- Let it dry, then draw a train track under the wheels on a sheet of paper and display them together.
10. Sparkly E with Eraser-Stamp Dots
A new pencil eraser makes a perfect little dot stamp, and kids love how easy it is. The trade off is mess, since paint and glitter both get everywhere. The first stamp is always a blob, so practice on scrap paper.
Mess: High. Time: 25 minutes, plus drying. You prep: Cut the E and tape the paper down. Best for: 3 to 7 years.
Materials Needed:
- A cardstock Letter E
- Washable tempera paint (acrylic stains clothes)
- A pencil with a clean, new eraser
- White glue and glitter, or glitter glue
- Scrap paper for blotting
- A sheet of contrasting paper to mount the E on
How to make it:
- Cut or print a big Letter E on cardstock.
- Dip the eraser in paint, blot it once on scrap paper, and stamp colorful dots all over the E.
- Add glue lines along the edges and sprinkle on glitter, then shake off the extra. Or use glitter glue and skip the shaking.
- Let it dry flat, then mount it on contrasting paper.
Tip: Skip loose glitter with younger kids. Glitter glue gives you the sparkle with no cleanup.
11. Eggshell Garden E
Tiny eggshell pots glued along a cardboard E, with grass seed growing out of them, is one of the longer lasting letter E activities, and kids love watering it. The trade off is water. Cardboard turns to mush under wet shells, so seal it first.
Mess: Medium. Time: 30 minutes, plus about a week of watching. You prep: Sanitize the shells and seal the E. Best for: 5 to 8 years, with an adult.
Materials Needed:
- A thick cardboard Letter E, covered in clear packing tape (or an E cut from a plastic lid or cutting board)
- Clean halved eggshells, rinsed and boiled for several minutes
- White glue or hot glue, used by an adult
- Potting soil and a spoon
- Grass seed (rye grass sprouts fast) and a dropper or small spoon for water
How to make it:
- Cut a sturdy cardboard E and cover both sides with clear packing tape.
- Glue eggshell halves along the E bars with the open side up, setting each one in a small dollop of glue.
- Add a spoon of soil to each shell, sprinkle on grass seeds, and drip in a little water.
- Place the E near a window, mist it daily, and watch it sprout in about a week.
Tip: Don’t overwater. A damp shell grows grass, and a puddle grows mold.
12. E is for Ear Headband
A headband with big cartoon ears that spell out E on the front is a good one for letter of the week or a quick classroom parade. The word ear is an R controlled start, so use it for the shape and pair it with egg for the sound. The trade off is fit, so size it before you decorate.
Mess: Low. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut the band and the ears. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- 2 strips of cardstock, about 2 by 12 inches, for the headband
- Extra cardstock for two big ear shapes
- A marker to write E
- Tape or glue (an adult can staple if needed)
- Crayons for coloring
How to make it:
- Wrap a cardstock strip around your kid’s head, mark the overlap, and tape it to fit.
- Cut two big ear shapes and color the inner part of each ear.
- Glue the ears to the band and write a bold E in the center front.
- Let it dry, then wear it and practice the E sound.
13. Envelope-Flip E Book
Three small envelopes along a giant E make flip pockets for picture cards, and kids like hiding drawings in them. Pick short E words, such as egg, elbow, and elephant, so the sound practice holds up. The trade off is the envelope flaps, which stick if you get glue on them.
Mess: Low. Time: 30 minutes. You prep: Cut the E and label the envelopes. Best for: 5 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large cardstock Letter E
- 3 small envelopes
- Markers
- Glue or double sided tape
- Small index cards (or cardstock cut into rectangles)
How to make it:
- Glue the envelopes along the E bars like shelves, with the flaps facing out.
- Label each envelope with an E word, such as egg, elbow, or elephant.
- Draw matching pictures on index cards and tuck them into the pockets.
- Add a title on top and share it with a friend.
Tip: Double sided tape is easier than glue for the envelopes, and it keeps the flaps free.
14. E is for Earth Collage
This is the soft, puffy tissue paper version of the Earth collage. Kids crumple tissue and talk about land and water as they glue. The trade off is color, since cheap tissue bleeds when wet, so use a glue stick for a drier finish.
Mess: Medium. Time: 25 minutes, plus drying. You prep: Cut the E. Best for: 3 to 7 years.
Materials Needed:
- A thick paper Letter E
- Blue and green tissue paper
- Glue stick or school glue
- A paintbrush for the glue, optional
How to make it:
- Cut a bold Letter E from thick paper.
- Tear the tissue into small pieces and crumple them lightly.
- Glue the blue and green tissue all over the E to look like oceans and land.
- Let it dry and display it for Earth Day or science time.
Tip: Test the blue tissue on a scrap first. If it bleeds, use a glue stick and press instead of brushing glue over the top.
15. E is for Evergreen Tree Scene
A forest of green triangles on the bars of a big E is a winter scene kids can build in layers. Evergreen starts with a long E sound, so it’s good for contrast with egg. Skip the correction pen and dot on snow with white paint and a cotton swab.
Mess: Low to medium. Time: 25 minutes. You prep: Cut the E and the triangles. Best for: 4 to 8 years.
Materials Needed:
- A large cardstock Letter E
- Green and brown paper
- White paint and a cotton swab for snow (a correction pen has fumes and isn’t for small kids)
- Glue stick
- Star stickers, optional
How to make it:
- Cut small green triangles and brown rectangles for trees and trunks.
- Glue trees along each bar of the E to form a forest.
- Add snow dots with white paint on a cotton swab.
- Place a few star stickers on tree tops and let it dry.
Common Mistakes First Timers Make
Most first timers hit the same few snags with letter of the week crafts. Here are the ones that come up most.
- Cutting a skinny E. It tears, curls under wet glue, and can’t hold anything heavy. Make the bars 2 inches wide.
- Using a glue stick on plastic eggs, craft sticks, or eggshells. It holds paper only. Use tacky glue or an adult with a hot glue gun.
- Not taping the plastic eggs shut. They pop open on the first drop. Tape the seam twice.
- Using raw eggshells. Rinse and boil them first, and wash hands afterward.
- Skipping the packing tape on the garden E. The cardboard goes soggy and warps within a day. Seal it first.
- Cutting the eel slit too narrow. The eel jams. Make the slit a bit wider than the strip.
- Using acrylic paint for stamping. It stains hands and clothes for good. Use washable tempera.
- Stapling the headband. Tape it closed instead, and size it before you decorate.
- Pairing the wrong word with the sound. Ear and Earth don’t make the short E sound. Use egg, elephant, or envelope for that.
FAQs
What are easy letter E crafts for preschoolers?
The big letter collage, the Earth collages, the eraser stamp E, and the envelope pocket all work well for preschoolers. You cut a fat E ahead of time, and your kid tears, stamps, and glues. Skip the eggshell and elastic crafts until about age five or six.
What words start with E for kids?
Short E words include egg, elephant, elbow, envelope, engine, and elf. Long E words include eel, eagle, and evergreen, and ear and Earth start with an R controlled sound. Pick words that match the sound you’re teaching.
How do I make a letter E template?
Cut a 6 by 9 inch rectangle, then cut two notches from the right edge, each 4 inches long and 1.5 inches tall. The first notch runs from 2 to 3.5 inches below the top, and the second runs from 5.5 to 7 inches below the top. That leaves a block E with 2 inch bars.
Are eggshell crafts safe for kids?
They can be, if you sanitize the shells first. Rinse them, boil them for several minutes, dry them, and wash hands afterward. Skip them for kids who still put things in their mouths.
What are good letter of the week crafts for E?
Try one craft a day: the egg shaker, the envelope pocket, the engine train, the eel puppet, and an Earth collage. Attach a new E word to each one and say it while you make it.
What letter E activities work besides crafts?
Hunt for E words around the house, sort objects by short and long E sounds, sing a simple E song with the egg shaker, or build an E from playdough ropes. Keep each one under 15 minutes.
