5 Easy Eggy Spring Activities

All of these activities use EGGS! I picked up a sleeve of plastic ones during Easter time and we use them over and over - they never get old. They are a perfect container for pouring, opening, closing, and holding.

Sensory Bin

1. Dye your rice. I like to place the rice in a freezer bag with a drop of food coloring or liquid watercolors and a bit of alcohol or vinegar, which helps the color to spread. Shake, then pour onto a parchment paper lined tray. Make sure to spread out the rice so it's not clumped up, or it won't dry properly. Let it sit overnight.

2. In the morning, you can add your fillers. I used plastic and decorative eggs, little wind up chicks, scoopers, tongs, mini baskets, and tweezers. You can also hide little objects in the eggs like mini erasers or gems.
   

Notes:

*This could be for all ages, just be mindful that some kids may mouth the rice or small objects.

*You can keep the rice and resuse for St. Patrick's Day or Easter.

*Skills: fine motor skills, pouring, scooping, color matching, pretend play, opening and grasping

ABC Match

1. For this activity, I saved two egg 12 containers and write the letters on the bottom of the egg.

2. I labeled each top half of the egg with a capital letter on a piece of tape, and each bottom half with a lowercase letter. (The last egg has 3 letters X, Y, Z).

3. I colored rice by taking small handfuls and pouring it into a ziplock bag, adding a drop of Colorations Liquid Watercolor, shaking and laying flat to dry, and repeating with a new color.

4. The next day, after the rice is dry, lay flat in a tin, and add the egg halves. The kids get to hunt for the matches. Once found, add them to the correct space in the container.

Notes:

*Ages 2.5-5 or any age working on letter identification

*Modifications:

*Complete some of the eggs and place them in the container before child sits down

*You could also do letter matches rather than upper and lowercase

*You can write shapes or numbers on the tape to match rather than letters

*Skills: letter identification, matching, sequential order

"Eggsplosions"

1. You'll need a tray, food coloring (optional), vinegar, baking soda, a muffin tin, a cup, and your eggs.

2. Fill each muffin circle with a little baking soda.

3. Fill the cup with vinegar and food coloring.

4. Demonstrate how to use the egg halves to scoop the vinegar and transfer to the tin.

5. Watch how the two elements create a mini "eggslosion."
   

Notes:

*This activity is MESSY. You'll want trays and an apron or a space you are comfortable for them to play.

*Both my 1 year old and 4 year old enjoyed this.

*You can also add droppers for another way to play.

*Skills: color mixing, cause and effect, pouring, transferring

Guess Who?

1. Fill 10 eggs with mini objects. Number the eggs.

2. Write clues for each egg and number the clues.

Examples: I'm green and I eat flies. I can jump pretty high. I'm a ________.

I have scales and I slither through the grass, you might not see me pass. I'm a _____.

3. Once the clues are all written, close the eggs with the objects inside. Make sure the egg number matches the object you are placing inside.

Example: If you write a clue about the frog, make sure you place the frog in the number 1 egg and number that clue number 1.

4. Have the child select an egg.

5. Look at the number egg they have chosen, and read the number clue. See if they can guess what's inside from the clue.

6. Then, open the egg and look inside. Were you right?

Notes:

*Best suited for 3+ ages

*I used mini animals, but you could do this with anything, as long as you are able to write a clue for it.

*You can start with fewer eggs in the beginning to ensure success before adding in more.

*Skills: inferencing, rhyme, drawing conclusions

Color Match

1. You'll need several eggs of various colors and construction paper of the same color. I looked to see what eggs I had first, then matched them my construction paper.

2. Hide the eggs. (This worked best for us to place them all in one room, rather than having them run all over the house).

3. Tape the paper to the ground so they won't move around.

4. Give your child a basket and allow them to run and gather eggs.

5. When they return, they will sort the eggs into color groups.

6. Count the amount of eggs in each color, and then write that number on the colored paper. Notes: *This activity was the easiest to set up and a lot of fun! My one year old helped gather the eggs while my four year old enjoyed sorting them and counting. *You could do this with something other than eggs, but still tie in with spring, such as wildflowers. *Skills: categorizing/sorting, counting, gross motor skills