Printed from: https://conservationhandbooks.com/nature-activities/dye-an-egg/
Dyeing eggs is relatively easy to do. Here we dye an egg with onion skins – wait until you see what happens!
Easter eggs – real eggs, not the chocolate ones – have been painted and dyed around Easter time for centuries.
What you need
- Eggs… obviously!
- An onion or two
- A pan with water
- A cloth (optional)
Additional dyes to try
- Beetroot
- Blueberries
- Food colouring
- Spices
What to do
Ask an adult to help as this involves hot water!
- Take a piece of cloth, big enough to put an egg in (still in its shell)
- Place about 6 layers of the dry onion skins on the cloth (tear them up small)

- Scatter some dry rice over the skins (this makes a great pattern on the shell)
- Place your egg on the skins and wrap the cloth firmly around the egg – twisting the top, use an elastic band to keep it tight
- Put the wrapped egg in a pan of gently boiling water for about 30 minutes
This MUST be done by a parent as water is hot - After 30 minutes ask an adult take the egg out the water and leave to cool in the cloth (at least 15 minutes)
- Unwrap your egg – wait until you see how your egg now looks!

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