Here’s an easy to do Science experiment to transform an unshelled, boiled egg into a rubbery reptile egg! It’s perfect for the classroom or to do with your children at home.
Animal eggs come in different colors, shapes, sizes and shell textures. Bird eggs feel hard. Snakes and many turtles lay soft shelled eggs with a rubbery feel. Snake eggs are usually oval; turtle eggs are round to slightly oblong.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to download free printables to extend this activity.
Supplies needed for the experiment:
One unshelled, boiled egg
1 ½ cups / 375 ml cups of cider vinegar
Clear 2 cup / 500 ml jar
Tablespoon
Dessert plate
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Making the Reptile Egg
Boil the egg and let it cool. Ask children to describe the color and feel the hardness of the egg.
Place the unshelled, boiled egg in a jar of cider vinegar. Discuss the color of the liquid…yellow, red, and orange are words children might use for the hue. I suggest the word amber.
Put the jar in the fridge.
After a couple of days, take the jar with the egg out of the fridge and have everyone view it. The cider vinegar will look a little foamy.
Scoop the egg out of the jar, place it on a dessert plate, and invite children to feel it. The egg will be tinged with brown residue. Ask children to describe the texture, which has turned rubbery.
New Discovery
The above egg is the result of the second time I tried this experiment! The first egg I used was not boiled, as I forgot to do it! I left the unshelled egg (in a jar of cider vinegar) in the fridge for two weeks before noticing it! When I finally took it out, it had a neat visual appeal. The outside of the uncooked egg felt rubbery, just as the boiled one did. When I poked it, soft insides spilled out. It was a happy accident that led to a new discovery!
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Reptile Egg Printables
Extend the Science experiment by setting out a printable with reptile egg shapes to decorate and cut, or use as a play mat.
Download reptile egg printable. (This printable is for personal or one classroom use only.)
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Use the printable below as a playmat for reptile and snake figurines in matching activities.
Download Reptile Play Mat. (This printable was created in PicMonkey and is for personal or one classroom use only.) See Terms For Printables below for full policy.
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To view a video showing a snake hatching from an egg on the DK website, click here.
For activities with green sea turtle eggs, click here:
Don’t forget to pin these activities to Pinterest!
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Do you have a favorite experiment to do with eggs? I’d love to hear about it!
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