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How to make cress egg heads

Fun egg facts plus how to grow your own cress egg heads.

Flower with cress growing from an egg

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Getting ready

Ask an adult to help you get these things:

  • eggs
  • butter knife
  • kitchen roll
  • cotton wool or a cotton pad
  • cress seeds
  • felt-tip pen
  • wholemeal bread (to make the sandwich)

Take care – some steps need adult help.

Ready to start?

  1. Using the back of a butter knife, crack an egg into a bowl by giving it a firm tap close to the top of the egg. (You can use the egg in the bowl to make scrambled eggs or for baking after you’ve finished).
  2. Carefully separate the two parts of the shell and ask an adult to give the larger part a good wash. This is really important as raw egg can contain things that can make you ill!
  3. Wet a piece of kitchen towel. Screw it up and gently put it inside the shell, making sure you don’t break it.
  4. Next, wet a thin piece of cotton wool or cotton pad and put it on top of the kitchen towel.
  5. Scatter a layer of cress seeds on top of the cotton wool then sprinkle water on top.
  6. Rest the eggshell in the base of your egg box or in an egg cup.
  7. Leave in a warm, light place and sprinkle with drops of water every day – the cress should start to sprout in a few days.
  8. As your cress starts to grow, draw a face on each shell.
  9. Once the cress is about 5cm tall, snip it off with some clean scissors.
  10. Now you can use it to make an egg and cress sandwich!