Egg Drop Challenge

The egg drop challenge is a fun activity where you try to protect an egg from breaking when it is dropped. You build a container or device to keep the egg safe. Then you drop it from a height and see if it survives.

This challenge helps you think like an engineer. You must be creative and solve problems. You will work with a team to design and build something that protects the egg.

First, you collect materials. You can use things like cardboard, bubble wrap, cotton, or plastic containers. You will also need tape to hold everything together.

Next, you and your team will come up with a plan. You will decide how to protect the egg. Will you make a soft landing? Will you cushion the egg inside? There are many ways to do it.

Then you build your design. You work together to put the materials together and make sure the egg stays in place. You can test small drops to see if your idea works.

Finally, it’s time for the big drop. An adult will drop each team’s egg from the same height. Then you check to see if the egg survived.

After the drop, you talk about what worked and what didn’t. Some designs will work better than others. You will learn what helps protect the egg and what doesn’t.

The egg drop challenge is a great way to learn about science, engineering, and teamwork. You get to test ideas, be creative, and have fun. Are you ready to keep your egg safe?

For the egg drop challenge, you need materials to protect your egg. Instead of buying new things, use recyclable materials. This helps the environment and makes the challenge more creative.

Recyclable materials are great because they are easy to find. You can use things like cardboard, bubble wrap, straws, cotton, and plastic containers. Look around your house for things that would otherwise be thrown away.

Cardboard is strong and can help absorb impact. Bubble wrap and cotton are soft and can cushion the egg. Straws can be used to make a frame or a shock absorber. Plastic containers can hold the egg safely inside.

Having different materials gives you more ways to protect your egg. Some teams might build a soft landing with padding. Others might make a parachute to slow the fall. Some might create a strong shell around the egg.

The more materials you have, the more ideas you can try. If one thing doesn’t work, you can mix and match materials to improve your design.

Before you start building, take time to look at what you have. Think about how each material can help keep the egg from breaking. Then choose the best ones for your design.

Using recyclables makes the egg drop challenge even more fun. You get to be creative, work with what you have, and help reduce waste. Now, start collecting your materials!

The egg drop challenge is more fun when you work as a team. Teams should have two or three Scouts. This way, everyone gets a chance to help. Cub Scouts might need an adult or older Scout to guide them.

Once you have a team, start talking about ideas. This is called brainstorming. Think about different ways to protect the egg. Listen to each other and share your thoughts.

Before you build, plan your design. Ask questions to help guide your idea. Here are some things to think about:

• How will your design absorb impact?
• How will you keep the egg from moving inside?
• Will you add padding around the egg?
• Will your design have a parachute to slow the fall?
• Will you build a strong shell around the egg?
• What materials will work best for your idea?
• How much tape will you need to hold everything together?

Try drawing your design on paper before you start building. This helps you see how your idea will work. If your team has different ideas, you can combine them or vote on the best one.

Good teamwork is important. Everyone should help build the design. Work together, be patient, and have fun. The best designs come from teams that listen to each other and try new ideas.

Now it’s time to build your design for the egg drop challenge. Your team will use the materials you collected to create something that will protect your egg. Work together and follow your plan.

Set a time limit for building. Around 20 to 30 minutes is a good amount of time. This helps teams stay focused and work efficiently. If you take too long, you might overthink your design.

Use only the materials you brought. Don’t grab extra supplies after you start. Part of the challenge is making the best use of what you have. If something isn’t working, adjust your design with the materials available.

If time allows, test your design with small drops before the final challenge. Drop it from a short height and see what happens. If the egg cracks, figure out what went wrong and make changes.

Make sure your egg is secure inside the design. It should not move around too much. If it shakes or bounces inside, it might crack on impact. Add padding or tighten your design if needed.

Remember to communicate with your team. Everyone should help with building. Share ideas, take turns, and listen to each other. Teamwork makes a better design.

Once time is up, stop building. Don’t add anything extra. Get ready for the big test. It’s almost time to drop your egg!

Now it’s time to test your design. The egg drop challenge is not complete until you see if your egg survives the fall. Everyone is excited to find out what happens!

An adult should drop the eggs to keep things fair and safe. Make sure everyone stands back and watches from a safe distance. You don’t want anyone getting hit by a falling egg!

Start with a lower drop, like waist height. If the egg survives, try dropping it from a higher place, like a chair or a ladder. You can even try from a second-story balcony if it is safe.

Watch closely as the egg falls. Does it land softly? Does it bounce? Does the container stay together? These clues help you understand how well the design works.

After each drop, carefully open the contraption and check the egg. If it is unbroken, the design is strong. If it cracks, think about what went wrong.

Cheer for each team, no matter what happens. Whether the egg breaks or survives, everyone learns something. The egg drop challenge is about testing ideas and having fun!

Now that the drops are done, it’s time to see which designs worked best. Look at the eggs. Some will be unbroken, some might have small cracks, and some will be completely smashed. That’s okay! Every team learned something.

Talk about the designs that kept the eggs safe. What made them work? Did they have lots of padding? Did they slow the fall with a parachute? Did they keep the egg from moving inside?

Now look at the designs that didn’t work as well. What went wrong? Did the egg hit the ground too hard? Was there not enough cushioning? Did the egg move too much inside?

Ask Scouts why they think certain designs worked better than others. Could they improve their designs if they did it again? What would they change?

This is how real engineers solve problems. When something doesn’t work, they learn from it and try again. The egg drop challenge teaches the same idea.

Talk about real-world examples. Helmets protect heads like padding protects eggs. Airbags in cars absorb impact, just like soft materials in the egg drop challenge. Packages are designed to keep fragile items from breaking, just like the contraptions built today.

Even if an egg broke, every team learned something new. The egg drop challenge is not just about winning—it’s about thinking, testing, and improving. That’s what science and engineering are all about!

The egg drop challenge teaches a lot about science and problem-solving. You learned how to protect something fragile by using different materials and designs. This is just like how engineers design safety gear and packaging.

You also saw how gravity pulls things down. When the egg falls, it hits the ground with force. The goal was to slow the fall or cushion the landing. That’s how helmets, airbags, and parachutes work in real life.

Some designs worked better than others. That’s okay! Every test helps you learn. If you did the challenge again, what would you change? Would you add more padding? Would you make a parachute? Would you build a stronger shell?

Thinking about ways to improve is part of engineering. Real inventors test their ideas over and over. They learn from mistakes and keep trying. The egg drop challenge is a fun way to practice this skill.

This challenge also showed the power of teamwork. You had to share ideas, listen to each other, and work together. Good communication helped teams build better designs.

Problem-solving was another big lesson. When you faced a challenge, you had to think of a solution. This skill is important in school, sports, and everyday life.

Whether your egg survived or not, you learned something new. The egg drop challenge is about more than just the egg. It’s about creativity, teamwork, and learning how to improve. Great job!

The Scout Law

The egg drop challenge connects to the Scout Law in many ways. Scouts show trustworthiness by working hard and doing their best. They are helpful and kind by supporting their teammates. Cheerfulness is important, even if the egg breaks. Scouts stay brave by trying new ideas and not giving up.

This challenge also teaches thriftiness by using recyclable materials. Scouts are obedient by following the rules and courteous by respecting others’ ideas. Loyalty and friendliness help teams work well together. By following the Scout Law, Scouts turn a simple activity into a lesson in teamwork, problem-solving, and respect.

Scout Law Video: A Guiding Principle for Life

What is the egg drop challenge?

The egg drop challenge is a fun science activity where you build a container to protect an egg. Then you drop it from a height to see if it survives.

What materials should I use?

Use soft and strong materials like cardboard, bubble wrap, straws, cotton, and plastic containers. Tape helps hold everything together.

How high should we drop the egg?

Start with a low drop, like from waist height. If the egg survives, try from a chair, ladder, or balcony (with adult supervision).

Why do some eggs break and others don’t?

Eggs break when they hit the ground too hard. A good design slows the fall or cushions the egg to absorb the impact.

What are some good design ideas?

You can wrap the egg in soft materials, build a strong shell, or make a parachute to slow the fall. There are many ways to protect the egg.

Can we test our design before the big drop?

Yes! If time allows, try dropping it from a lower height first. This can help you find weak spots and make improvements.

What do we learn from the egg drop challenge?

You learn about gravity, force, and how to protect fragile things. You also practice teamwork, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

What if my egg breaks?

That’s okay! Every test helps you learn. Think about what went wrong and how you could improve your design next time.

Can we do the egg drop challenge again?

Yes! Try new materials, different heights, or new rules. The more you test and improve, the more you learn.

The egg drop challenge is a fun way to learn about science and engineering. You had to think, plan, and build something to protect an egg. Some designs worked well, and some didn’t, but every team learned something.

This challenge showed how important it is to test ideas and improve them. Engineers don’t always get things right the first time. They keep trying new things until they find the best solution.

It also showed the power of teamwork. Working together, sharing ideas, and solving problems made a big difference. Good designs come from good teamwork.

Most of all, the egg drop challenge was about having fun while learning. Whether your egg survived or made a big mess, you now understand more about how things work. Maybe next time, your design will be even better!