Grow cress

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

Flower from the Eat Move LEarn team admires her cress egg heads

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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)

Ready to start? Take care – some steps need adult help.

Step 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).

Step 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!

Step 3

Wet a piece of kitchen towel. Screw it up and gently put it inside the shell, making sure you don’t break it.

Step 4

Next, wet a thin piece of cotton wool or cotton pad and put it on top of the kitchen towel.

Step 5

Scatter a layer of cress seeds on top of the cotton wool then sprinkle water on top.

Step 6

Rest the eggshell in the base of your egg box or in an egg cup.

Step 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.

Step 8

As your cress starts to grow, draw a face on each shell.

Step 9

Once the cress is about 5cm tall, snip it off with some clean scissors.

Step 10

Now you can use it to make an egg and cress sandwich!

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