To dye an egg shell use plants like onion skin ( this produces yellow, beetroot produces purple red, Stinging nettle makes green ). You can use food colourings instead if you can’t get hold of onions or beetroot etc.
Add one of these plants to a saucepan of water and boil until the water becomes a deep colour. Then put the egg into the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes.
An additional fun variation is to take a leaf or a grass strand and lay it against your egg, held in place with a piece of tight stocking ( permeable to let the colour go through. This lets a shadow form on the egg shell.) you can use a rubber band if it is easier.
Boil the egg in the coloured water and the shadow of the plant stalk will make an imprint on the egg shell!
Yet another alternative we have often done is to boil your eggs, take them out the water, then each person in your family or friends use coloured crayons to ‘paint’ a design while it is still hot. The crayons melt on to the shell. Cradle your hot egg in a cloth rag or old tea towel whilst doing this.
We have an Easter tradition of getting up at sunrise. Find a local hill and roll your eggs down. The winner is the egg that is least damaged at the bottom ! The reward ? A chocolate egg!
