This is a great little growing experiment that you can do with children of all ages. It’s lots of fun for a rainy day activity, there’s lots of tending to the ‘garden’ involved, and your children will learn a lot about growing plants. Check out our quirky eggshell caterpillar microgreens garden.
Growing a microgreens garden is simple, fun and delicious to eat. Kid’s love the fact that the garden grows so quickly, and they really enjoy cutting the sprouting greens and eating them on crackers, and even just eating them straight! As long as they keep spritzing the garden with water every few days, the seeds will ‘cut and come again’ as they say, and this one garden should grown on for many weeks, if not months.
Egg shells are also a great resource for planting seedlings in. They’re free, once you’ve consumed the eggs, and they decompose when you’ve finished with them. So they’re much better than a plastic container. And, just like the peat pots you can buy from garden centres, you can even plant egg shells in the ground. Just be sure to crack them, making a hole in the bottom for the roots to grow through.
Of course, turning this little gardening project into a caterpillar is just another fun way to display your microgreens. And gives you an excuse to spend a few hours with your kids painting and decorating them!
Eggshell Caterpillar Microgreens Garden
You will need:
- 6 empty egg shells
- Acrylic paint (we used Resene Tutti Fruity, Lickety Split and Get Ready)
- A paint brush
- An egg carton cut into 6 cups
- A range of seeds (we used chives, but you could use red cabbage, cilantro, amaranth, radish, or just a microgreen seed mix)
- Seed raising mix
- Googly eyes
- A pipe cleaner
- PVA glue
- Cotton buds
Instructions:
1. start collecting used egg shells. Whenever we made scrambled eggs we gently cracked the top of the egg then cut it with a serrated knife. That way you can eat the eggs, and save the shells.
2. Paint all your egg shells green. We placed ours up-side down on a spare egg carton to paint them and this made it is easier. If you tend to buy brown eggs, you might like to give them 2-3 coats of paint. Once they’re dry, you can add some red polka-dots with paint and a cotton bud.
3. Paint the 6 egg carton cups in a light green and let them dry.
4. Glue the googly eyes on to the ‘head’ of your caterpillar.
5. Add in the soil to each painted egg shell.
6. Sprinkle in your seeds.
7. Then sprinkle a small amount of soil on top of your seeds and lightly water. Place them in a light and sunny spot.
8. Lightly spray them with water every couple of days. We found a small spray bottle, with a mist function, was perfect for this part.
Once the microgreens have grown have your children carefully snip them, and add them to their meals. They could have them as a small salad for dinner, make a sandwich with them, add them as a garnish on crackers, or just eat them straight out of the egg shell garden.
Bonus: A Twist for Every Season
Growing microgreens with your little ones is a fun and rewarding activity all year round! But to add a touch of seasonal magic, here are some ideas to tailor your caterpillar garden to each season:
Spring:
- Microgreens: Perk up your spring salads with vibrant pea shoots or zesty radish microgreens. They’re packed with nutrients and add a delightful pop of colour! My little ones love the peppery kick of radish microgreens on their scrambled eggs – it always brings a giggle!
- Decorations: Embrace the spring vibes! Decorate your eggshell caterpillars with pastel paints and add construction paper flowers for a cheerful touch.
Summer:
- Microgreens: Sunflower shoots are a fantastic summer choice! They add a delightful sunflower-y flavour to sandwiches and wraps. Plus, watching them sprout tall and strong is a fun activity for the kids.
- Decorations: Let’s get beachy! Paint your eggshells in bright colours and add googly eyes for a playful beach scene. Tiny paper umbrellas make cute additions too! My kids and I pretend the microgreens are little palm trees – it’s our silly summer tradition.
Autumn:
- Microgreens: Arugula microgreens add a peppery bite to fall dishes. They’re perfect for sprinkling on soups or adding to cheese toasts. My kids love making mini pizzas with these peppery greens, and honestly, I do too!
- Decorations: Get creative with autumn leaves! Use colourful leaves to create a collage on your eggshells, or cut out leaf shapes from construction paper to add a touch of fall flair.
Winter:
- Microgreens: Beet microgreens add a vibrant pop of colour to winter meals. They’re also rich in vitamins, perfect for those colder months! We love adding them to our winter salads for a festive touch – the bright pink looks so cheerful!
- Decorations: Embrace the festive spirit! Paint your eggshells white and decorate them with glitter and tiny pom poms for a winter wonderland scene. Sparkly snowflakes cut from paper are another fun addition.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. With a little creativity, you and your little ones can create a fun and educational microgreen garden that celebrates the changing seasons!
If you’re looking for more great gardening ideas check out 13 great gardening activities and Explore the garden with your kids. And be sure to check out the hundreds of other crafting ideas in our Creative arts and crafts section.
