CRACKING & PEELING HARD-BOILED EGGS - Montessori in the kitchen

This easy to prepare and engaging activity will help your child develop their fine motor skills and give them practical life experience that has a tasty reward. On top of that, it’s a great sensory experience both for touch and taste. Let's start!

For this activity, you will first boil the eggs. You can use any kind of eggs, but we recommend choosing quail eggs - they are small, meaning easier to hold for little hands. After hard boiling the eggs, take them out, and let them sit in cool water - for easier peeling later.

To set up, your child can use a tray or do it on the counter- to make cleaning up easier, place a scrap paper or cloth on the counter for peeling onto. Take one egg and model for your child how to do it. First, crack it gently all over the shell. Start at one point, then rotate and tap all around. After that, peel the shell off the egg and put the egg in a bowl. If using a paper or cloth show your child how to roll it up containing all shell pieces to be dumped in the bin. Make sure to do it slowly, step by step so your little one can follow your movements. Now it's your child's turn.

If there are some pieces of shells left on the surface, you may guide the child to wash them off. 

The eggs can be eaten right away or become an ingredient for cooking soup, caramelized pork, and eggs, or my daughter’s favorite - deviled eggs! 

The last step, always, is cleaning up. Let your child clean the tabletop/ kitchen counter and wash the bowl. This step helps to complete the activity. 

Look how excited she gets by peeling eggs!

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Small recommendations:

• You may start with the quail eggs first, then once mastered move on to chicken eggs and duck eggs. 
• Prepare an egg slicer so your child can practice cutting and slicing the eggs for an egg salad.
• The child can practice this activity on their table, or on the floor as long as you and your child feel comfortable with it. Bringing your child up to the kitchen counter, on the other hand, takes them up to your level and your world of food prep (all you need is a learning tower!!!) - they know their table well, but the kitchen counter is so attractive and full of curiosity.

Perhaps after peeling the eggs they will be dented, cracked, or skewed, and the outcome may not be the most attractive visually. Remember, it is the process that we value, the end result will improve as they practice and master the skill. It is truly a precious thing watching your child's concentration face as they work and the look of pride when they are done.

Written by,

Góc Montessori

>> Products mentioned in this article: learning tower