The top is cracked off an egg and the shell is washed clean. A face is drawn on the outside with a marker pen, the shell is filled with damp cotton wool, and a pinch of cress or mustard seeds goes on top. One teaspoon of water each morning from a windowsill. In five to seven days, green hair appears. The cress is eaten on buttered toast — which closes the loop.
What you need
- eggshells from breakfast
- cotton wool
- cress or mustard seeds
- marker pen
- egg cups
How to do it
- 1Say: "Draw a face on this eggshell. Then we'll give it green hair over the next week."
- 2Draw a face on the outside with a marker pen. Any expression.
- 3Fill with damp cotton wool. Sprinkle a teaspoon of cress seeds on top.
- 4Place on a windowsill. One teaspoon of water every morning. Check daily and watch what grows.
Variations
- Korb-Tür: If they won't draw: draw one yourself first. "Now you. Make it yours."
- Ausstieg: After five days the hair is ready. Cut it, serve on buttered toast. Full circle.
💡 Parent tip
The cotton wool stays just damp, not wet. Too much water drowns the seeds. Let the child be the one responsible for checking every morning. Their investment in the outcome is genuine.
What your child develops
- Plant life cycle — the visible journey from seed to edible plant in under a week
- Daily responsibility — watering each morning is a small, real act of care with visible consequences
- Connection between growing and eating — the cress eaten was planted and tended by the child's hands
Safety notes
- Remove all eggshell fragments before the child handles the shell. Cress seeds are safe.
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