(1) Egg photo bomb: Use some photo editing software like Photoshop to put eggs in a photo for amusing or intriguing effects. Maybe it will become the next world famous egg… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram_egg
(2) Build a tower for an egg: This activity is from our Forest School curriculum. Tell the children that you are now going to have a competition to see which group (mix up children and adults) can make the tallest, freestanding structure using sticks collected from the ‘forest’ floor.
Their freestanding structure must be able to support an egg at its highest point for a period of ten seconds. The group can have five minutes planning time to develop and discuss their ideas for the structure that they are going to build. Remind the children that freestanding means that their structure must stand all by itself; it cannot lean against a tree or be dug into the ground. They may use any materials that you decide to give them or from a designated area or room. They should be of a sensible size and carry any large items sensibly, making sure to ask for help from an adult if needed.
Give each group about 10 minutes to build their structures, then visit each structure in turn to test it with the egg. Encourage the children to count each ten seconds period aloud, and then an adult will need to measure the structures, and adjudicate as necessary!
Congratulate each group in turn for their efforts and evaluate the success of their designs. Which designs worked best and why?
(3) Dropping Eggs: Fortunately (or not, depending on what you wanted), no eggs are actually dropped here. It’s a theoretical and mathematical problem to tackle. https://wild.maths.org/dropping-eggs
(4) Eggstremely tricky maths problem: Here’s a maths problem from the archives for children to have a go at. It is aimed at children in Key Stage 2, and will involve some trial and error and knowledge of ratio and proportion.
(5) Write an egg themed story: The girls huddled together and peered cautiously out of their bedroom window. They had been awoken, just moments earlier, by a strange light that burst through their curtains, filling the room with a silvery, white hue.
As one, they had tip-toed towards the source of the distraction, carefully dragging chairs across the room with them so that they could take a peek together. They stared in awe and wonder, and the sight that met their eyes. Something magical was happening…
What happens next? Will something hatch out of the moon? Are the girls somehow special or chosen to notice this event?
(6) Decorate an egg: If you want to decorate eggs but don’t want a refrigerator full of hard-boiled eggs, try hollowed eggs. They can be carefully preserved for years.
- Wash the eggs gently in warm, soapy water.
- Use a strong needle or nail to pierce both ends (make one hole larger).
- Poke a straightened paper clip or toothpick through the larger hole to pierce the yolk.
- Hold the egg, larger hole down, over a bowl and then blow the contents out with a rubber ear syringe or small straw.
- Rinse out the shell and dry thoroughly before decorating.
- Use the egg contents for baking or scrambled eggs.
Here’s some things I found out while researching egg decorating:
Eggs are a symbol of new life which is why they are used with the Easter holiday. The tradition of decorating eggs began in the 13th century. They would be colourfully decorated to mark the end of the Season of Lent (when eggs and meat were forbidden) and were eaten on Easter Sunday as part of the celebration.
Eggs have been decorated as fine objects of art for hundreds of years and decorated with fine jewels and precious metals.
How will you decorate yours?
(7) Try a new dish based on eggs: Have a go at cooking as a family, here are some delicious ones to try or revisit:
Devilled eggs
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/devilled_eggs_96275
Omelette
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/basic-omelette
French toast
https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/breakfast-brunch/quick-and-easy-french-toast
Eggs Benedict
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/eggs_benedict/
Frittata
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/fritatta
Egg bhurji
https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/egg-bhurji-andhra-egg-porutu/
(8) Try a classic Easter activity: The chocolate nest – Yum! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/shredded-wheat-nests Or how about an Easter bonnet? For everyone in the family? Even that grumpy person on the sofa? https://mumslounge.com.au/entertainment/kids-activities/12-fun-easter-bonnet-ideas/
(9) Make your own Easter nest: I’m sure there is more than one way to make your own nest, birds seem to manage it without PVA glue, but if you had the resources already, here’s one way of making your own: http://onetimethrough.com/diy-birds-nest-science-and-craft/
(10) The Great Egg Drop: In this classic (though sometimes messy!) game, teams must work together to build a container to protect an egg, which is dropped from a height. Usually in a classroom setting, before the egg drop, groups must deliver presentations on their solutions, how they arrived at them, and why they believe they will succeed. However you will probably all be working in one group so that may not be possible. You could do this activity at the same time as a neighbour if you wanted to broaden the challenge.
What You’ll Need:
Ideally at least six people in a team.
Raw eggs – one for each group, plus some reserves in case of accidents!
Materials for creating the packaging, such as cardboard, tape, elastic bands, plastic bottles, plastic bags, straws, and scissors.
Aprons to protect clothes, paper towels for cleaning up, and paper table cloths, if necessary.
Somewhere – ideally outside – that you can drop the eggs from. (If there is nowhere appropriate, you could use a step ladder or equivalent.)
Time:
Around 15 to 30 minutes to create the packages.
If splitting into teams, approximately 15 minutes to prepare a one-minute presentation.
Enough time for the presentations and feedback (this will depend on the number of teams).
Time to demonstrate the egg “flight.”
Instructions:
Your household will probably have enough for one team. Your team has to build a package that can protect an egg dropped from a specified height (say, two-and-a-half meters) with the provided materials.
Your team could split into individuals to come up with their own ideas for what they could do.
Once all members of the team have presented, you should have a discussion on what they should do to protect their eggs, discussing the pros and cons of each suggestions. When teams are making their decisions, the more good options they consider, the more effective their final decision is likely to be. Encourage your groups to look at the situation from different angles, so that they make the best decision possible. If people are struggling, get them to brainstorm – this is probably the most popular method of generating ideas within a team.
They must drop their egg, assess whether the eggs have survived intact, and discuss what they have learned.
Possible reflection points:
Did everyone do the job they wanted to do?
If you could do it again, how would it be different?