Daffodils and tulips have sprouted, the days are longer (and a bit sunnier), and the world is waking up from its winter slumber – spring is here, and with that, Easter! As the kiddos enjoy their half-term, get them into the Easter spirit with our Sprouting Eggshells Activity and let them grow their own plants while reducing waste in the process.
Why use eggshells?
Did you know British gardeners go through 500 million new plastic plant pots a year? This plastic can be dumped into landfills where they stay for centuries, or make their way into our oceans, rivers, and other habitats, where they can harm wildlife. But there’s an easy fix to this plastic issue – and that’s eggshells! Not only do they make adorable plant pots, but they also eliminate any need for plastic. And, since they naturally decompose into organic material, you can easily pop them into your garden or compost when you’re done! So, let’s get started.
Ready, set, grow!
Making your own eggshell planters is a fun, easy, and eco-friendly way to grow your own plants. Learn how to make your own eggshell planter below!
Start with an egg
We recommend using our large eggs for optimal plant growth. We also recommend starting this project on a day when you’re planning to use quite a few eggs, such as for a Sunday morning fry-up, an eight-egg omelette (yum!) or a delicious Victoria sponge cake. Or save your eggshells as the week goes on, so by the time you and your kids are ready to begin, you have a whole flock of eggshells to work with!
Cracking up
Get your best jokes ready, it’s time to crack up – your eggs that is! The trick is to be careful while cracking, so we recommend you or another adult help your kids during this part. With a butter knife, give your egg a firm, but gentle, tap on the top until it starts to crack. Then, using your fingers, gently remove the top pieces of the egg. It’s up to you and your child how big you want the opening, but make sure it’s big enough to fit your seeds or veggie scraps in. Once you’ve made your egg openings, pour the egg yolks into a separate container to save for later, and give the shell a rinse and pat it dry.
Add a bit of glam
It’s not Easter without some colourful eggs! Have your kids decorate their eggs with markers or watercolours before you crack them, or afterwards once they are all filled! Bonus tip: if you draw silly faces on the eggshells, soon it’ll look like they’re sprouting some outrageous hairstyles!
Time for plants
Now it’s the fun part – deciding what you want to plant in your eggshell!
Veggie seeds – This is the perfect way to use leftover seeds from your outdoor garden.
- 1. Poke a hole in the bottom of your eggshell so that the water can drain out. We recommend either you or another adult does this. Have your child fill their eggshell with a little bit of dirt. Drop the seed in, then fill it with more dirt so it’s covered. Lightly water your eggshell and leave it in a sunny spot. Soon you’ll find little sprouts have emerged!
- 2. Once the veggies have sprouted and they’re getting too big for your egg planters, simply take them out into the garden to be planted. Gently crack the egg and plant it directly into soil. By cracking the shell, the roots will be able to move about easily in the soil. The eggshell will naturally decompose back into organic material
Veggie scraps – This is a great way to create a zero-waste eggshell garden!
Read our blog post for more information on how to plant veggie scraps. When it says to use a container, just swap it for your eggshell – easy peasy.
Download your own activity sheet to print and share below!
