How to Make Exploding Spring Eggs

The warm weather is coming, and the spring egg crafts are multiplying like rabbits! Here is one that just might surprise and burst open along with the kids this season. This activity was designed specifically with The Wilder Child Book Club’s March featured book in mind – check it out here in case you want to read the book first.

Below are two sets of instructions. Option A is a simpler version using a store-bought plastic egg. Option B is a more complicated version using a hollowed out real egg. No matter which option you end up choosing, first you should prepare a “nest”.

Prepare a “Nest”

What You Need

Pot
Potting soil
Natural nesting material (grapevines, straw, dried grass, leaves etc…)

What You Do
1. Find a pot that is big enough to put several eggs and a “nest” into. We found out later that the eggs grow quite a bit, so pick a pot that is bigger than you think you’ll need.
2. Fill the pot ¾ of the way with potting soil.
3. Create a nest for the eggs using whatever material you like and have available. We used wild grape vines and hay/straw. Don’t put a bottom onto the nest because the eggs need to be in direct contact with the soil (that way the plants will keep growing once the eggs “hatch”).

Option A – Exploding Plastic Easter Eggs (Simple)

What You Need

One or more plastic eggs
Several small plastic animals or “surprises” small enough to fit into the plastic eggs
Potting Soil
Water
1 tablespoon of clover seeds (per egg) – we bought them here from Grow Organic

What You Do

1. Fill the plastic egg with a tiny plastic animal or other spring surprise.
2. Break up the soil into fine particles with your fingers.
3. Mix the soil with the seed.
4. Add water to the soil/seed mix so that it holds itself together
5. Pack the soil/seed mix into both sides of the egg until both sides are full.
6. Place the two sides of the egg back together.
7. Place the egg into the nest.
8. Place the nest where it can receive indirect sunlight and can be easily observed.

Option B – Exploding Chicken Eggs (More Complicated But Awesome)

What You Need

One or more chicken/duck eggs
An awl or other sharp instrument
Funnel (we curled up a piece of paper)
Potting Soil
1 tablespoon of clover seeds (per egg) – we bought them here from Grow Organic

What You Do

Blowing Out the Egg
1. Clean the outside of the egg (you will be putting your mouth on them).
2. Make a small hole (approximately 1/8 inch wide) in one end of the egg using an awl or other sharp instrument.
3. Make a small hole (approximately 3/8 inch wide) in the other end of the egg using an awl or other sharp instrument.
4. Insert the awl through the larger hole and mix the egg yolk around (this makes it easier to blow out).
5. Blow into the small hole to empty the egg out of the egg shell.
6. Gently rinse out the inside of the egg with water.

Filling the Egg
7. Break up the soil into fine particles with your fingers.
8. Mix a tablespoon of seed with enough soil to fill the egg. You can make more if you run out.
9. Pour the soil/seed mix into the large hole of the egg using either a small funnel or a folded piece of paper. Shake the egg gently several times throughout to settle the soil/seed mix, then keep adding more until the egg is completely full. In the image to the right you can see how the egg should look after it’s filled with the seed mixture.
10. Add water to the egg through the large hole (gently!) until water runs out of the small bottom hole.
11. Place the egg into the nest making sure that the egg come in contact with the soil in the pot.
12. Place the pot where it can receive indirect sunlight and can be easily observed.

The Next Few Days…

1. In as early as one day, the egg could begin to crack open as the seeds expand.
2. Once the egg breaks open, gently water with a watering can or saturate with a spray bottle. If your house is dry, a clear plastic bag can be placed over the nest to keep the humidity higher (this really helped our our seeds survive). The tiny seeds will need to be kept moist if they are going to survive.
3. Within a week, the tiny seeds will sprout a root, which will seek out water and a dark place to grow. The roots will continue to break open the egg. Keep watering the egg daily and watch the seeds grow!
4. Within another week, tiny leaves will begin to grow at the top of the small roots. Spring has finally come! Keep watering the eggs daily.
5. Once your plants establish, you can water less frequently.
6. The plants can be kept inside or transplanted outside in the spring.

Option A Results

Option B Results

We had a great time doing this, and our daughter still waters and watches her plants grow every day! It is really warming up here, so we’re hoping to transplant our clovers outside in April. I would love to hear how this goes for you…

Your Woman Gone Wild,