Creating The Perfect Egg Drop Project

Its time for another Hands On Play Party! This week is a special week here at Lemon Lime Adventures because we are taking part in Tinkerlab’s exciting Creative Challenge Project. We love everything Tinkerlab does, so when Rachelle put out a call for participants to create with eggs, I got excited. If you are a regular here, you know how much we love science around here. You might not be surprised to find out that we turned this challenge into a Creative and Scientific Egg Drop Project. Today I will share the creative side of the project, but be sure to check back for Saturday Science where I share our results. You won’t want to miss what happens.

Project Egg Drop

If you have not ever heard of Tinkerlab, you are missing out! Seriously, Rachelle is incredibly creative and her way of presenting children with art is thought-provoking and investigative in nature. The Creative Challenges are designed to encourage children to think independently through self-directed projects that encourage problem solving and creative thinking.

I have always wanted to do an egg drop project with the boys, but all of our other projects seem to get in the way. This project was just the motivation we needed.

Proposing the Egg Drop Project

It was actually quite simple. Over breakfast one morning I mentioned to the boys (ages 6 and 8) that there was a project about eggs. We could do absolutely anything we wanted.

Me: What would you guys think of creating something for your eggs so they don’t break when you drop them? Are you in?

Boys (in unison): Oh, we’re IN!

I believe in using a child’s interest to lead their investigations, play and learning, so I tossed the project in their hands. For journaling that day I had both boys list any item they think they would need for their contraption and I would collect the materials for them. They could use any item they could think of. They could even look through our craft area and our recycled materials.

I have never seen the boys so excited to write in their journals.

Setting Up for the Egg Drop Project

Invitation for Egg Drop Project

Materials Needed:

* Recycled Materials (We used berry containers, yogurt cups, Cardboard Tubes, and Cardboard Boxes)
* Grocery Bags
* Scrap Paper
* Bubble Wrap
* Scissors
* Tape ( We used Decorative Washi Tape)
* Yarn
* Eggs (I was tempted to hard boil them for less mess, but we went raw for the full effect)

After the boys listed all of their requests, I gathered the items up and arranged them in an inviting way on the table. All of the materials were visible and organized for the boys to use.

Creating Egg Drop Contraptions

Egg Drop Contraption

Legoman (age 8) is my little engineer. He loves to build and create and is always tinkering away at things. I have to say, when he started grabbing cups, and tubes, and boxes, I had no idea what he was thinking in his head.

One thing I try to remember when children are creating, is to give them space. I try to observe and document what they are doing, only interrupting to ask questions. In doing this, I put the problem solving on them, enable them to think through their processes and take ownership over their work.

As Legoman built, I wanted to tell him his creation was all wrong. I wanted to say “We aren’t building robots (which he often does).” Instead, I watched.

Creating an Egg Drop Contraption

Can you tell me more about your parts?

Explain what this piece is for…

Why did you choose…

What is the purpose of …

As you can see, Legoman added stablizers on all sides of the egg, and created a cushion of yarn around the egg in its box. His hope was that no matter which side the contraption lands on… it would be safe.

As a finishing touch he added a grocery bag as a parachute to “soften the fall” as he said. Even this took some trial and error as he had to get the balance just right on the parachute.

Taping Egg Drop Project

Now, here is why I love open ended projects so much! Bones (age 6) is a VERY different little boy. He is incredibly creative and artsy. He does not create for function, he creates for process and aesthetics.

So, of course the first material he went for was the pretty Washi tape. With a tad bit of help from mom to hold the egg, he wrapped his egg in more tape and tubing.

It looks like a work of art, doesn’t it?

Egg Drop Container

He wasn’t done there…

He used a small raspberry container to hold his egg.

But first, he needed to make a next in the container. He used as much yarn as he could, created the nest, placed the egg inside and was ready to test out his invention.

What do you think happened? Do you think the eggs survived their falls from the front porch, the neighbors first story staircase, or the second story window?  You will have to follow along for Saturday Science to see the results and the sScientific inquiry in our Egg Drop Project!

If you want a great list to get you started, download the list below to get your free printable list of 52 STEAM challenges for your kids. I am not sure it gets much easier than that! When you get the list, you will also be added to get the latest updates about our awesome new STEAM Kids Book that is full of amazing STEAM activities for kids.

52 Engineering Projects for Kids

Click Here to Download

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Do you want to join Tinkerlab’s Creative Egg Challenge?

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You can!

Grab some eggs, set up an invitation to create, and document what happens. While projects should be child-led, grown-ups are welcome to join in the fun if the mood strikes! You can share your pictures using #creativekidschallenge. If you are a blogger, you can link up your post between April 1st-30th. While you are at it, don’t forget to link up here at the Hands on Play Party as well!

Now it’s time for the Hands On Play party!

My Favorite Hands-On Creative Egg Project From Last Week

Art History Egg Decorations

Its your turn to show us your Hands-on Play ideas.

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Sight Words Egg Hunt

{P is for Preschooler}

Exploring Mirror Reflections Easter Eggs, Lights & Shiny Objects

{Little Bins for Little Hands}

Sensory Play with Paper Pulp

{Stir the Wonder}

What is your Favorite Hands-on Activity? Be sure to link up below or comment on FacebookTwitterGoogle+PinterestInstagram . Don’t miss a thing, subscribe by email . (I only send one email a week)


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24 thoughts on “Creating The Perfect Egg Drop Project”

  1. Pingback: Simple Mirror Activity: Exploring Reflections with Light & Objects {Hands On Play Party} | Little Bins for Little Hands

  2. You have me wanting to do an egg drop experiment now! I love the egg all wrapped up in tubing and wash tape. That’s totally how I would make my egg 🙂

  3. Love your approach. I am curious to see the results. In our case all eggs were good for human height vertical drop, but broke on horizontal flight from higher ground. Both Legoman and Bones did awesome!

  4. Dayna! I’m so glad that you jumped in on this challenge. This post is beyond inspiring and I bet you’ll encourage a lot of people to try this with their kids. I know that my kids will be in to this and can’t wait to try it with them.

  5. Wow, love this. My son would think that this is the best thing ever! We’ll have to try it out

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  9. the egg drop has always been my favorite project in grade school. your photos are amazing! thank you for sharing 🙂

    1. Lemon Lime Adventures

      Thank you! We really loved it!

      1. I am working on a science project hoping to make an a so please give opinions on the egg drop project

        1. Lemon Lime Adventures

          What do you need help with?

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  15. julie

    My opinion about the egg drop project is very confusing and i like the part were inertia takes place.

  16. Pingback: Valentines Egg Drop: STEM Challenge for Kids!

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