Did you know that crushed egg shells can be used as food for your household or garden plants?

You may never have guessed that eggshells could, in fact, have multiple purposes once their contents were removed! Here’s why you might also want to hang on to a few of your eggshells before you consider tossing them– a valuable learning experience for your child in the kitchen.

A father I recently spoke with during a coaching session shared with me how eager his child was to participate in the family’s nightly meal preparation. I had previously given him advice on how to involve his child with peeling an egg as well as slicing an egg as educational tasks that could develop his child’s hand-eye coordination while simultaneously offering a sense of contribution to the household, a strategy we advise in the Montessori method, as it also promotes a child’s independence and self-esteem.

He reported back to me that his son was not only becoming more skilled in the kitchen but was now also wanting to spend more time in the kitchen in general ever since he had mastered a few skills. There may be times when a child can maybe help you chop carrots or peel garlic for a specific recipe, but there may also be other times when you don’t have any specific work to give them! The solution? Hand them a mortar and pestle and a few of those standby egg shells and invite them to crush, crush, crush away. The finer the better!

Your child will step up to the challenge and find the process stimulating to their senses. As they practice their hand-eye coordination, the activity also allows them to spend quality time with you in the kitchen while you focus on the work you need to complete to get the family dinner ready on time.

Meanwhile, as you educate them on the benefits of reusing the eggshells as plant food, their developing minds will be introduced to the concept of “the circle of life.” They can begin to practice an eco-minded composting habit, even at an early age.

Crushing Eggshells by Jeanne Marie Paynel from voilamontessori.com

Find out why inviting your child to crush up some egg shells in the kitchen results in a great use of their time, and yours!

P.S. Would you like my support and guidance setting-up your Montessori home? If, yes then go ahead and schedule a ‘Discovery Session’ with me. It’s free and you’ll know if we are a good fit. 😉