The Best Ways to Protect an Egg During an Egg Drop

Download Article

Science teacher Lynda R. Williams shares tips to keep your egg from breaking

Explore this Article

IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Grocery Bag Parachute

2 Hot Air Balloon

3 Straw Pyramid

4 Cereal Egg Drop

5 Coffee Can Drop

6 Sponge Cushion

7 Cup Stack Drop

8 Oobleck Cushion

9 Plushie Drop

10 Filled Baggies

11 Dodecahedron Drop

12 Styrofoam Cup Drop

13 Pringles Can

14 Pillow Drop

15 Pool Noodle Drop

16 Toilet Paper Roll Reinforcement

17 Water Bag Drop

18 Floam-Covered Eggs

19 Peanut Butter Jar

20 Balloon Cushion

21 Nature Drop

22 Plastic Container and Pantyhose

23 Toothpick Container

24 Paper Cone Egg Drop

25 Bubble Wrap

26 Cotton Ball Cocoon

27 Cup and String Suspension

28 Paper Mache Shell

29 Feather Drop

+ Show 26 more...

- Show less...

Other Sections

Video

Tips and Warnings

Related Articles

References

Co-authored by Lynda R. Williams and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: August 6, 2026 Fact Checked

Download Article

The egg drop challenge is a classic school project that teaches students about gravity, engineering, and physics. If you’re doing your own egg drop challenge, there are lots of cool ways to prevent your egg from breaking when it’s dropped from a high location. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best egg drop ideas to help you get an A on your project—with exclusive tips from a science teacher!

Egg Drop Ideas for School

Download Image

Download Image

Science teacher Lynda R. Williams says to think about how to insulate the egg, and use materials that will absorb the shock of the impact. Here are some of the most popular creations:

• Parachute: Put your egg in a lightweight container and tie a grocery bag to it like a parachute.
• Hot Air Balloon: Place your egg in a lightweight container and tie several balloons to it.
• Peanut Butter Jar: Stick your egg in the center of a jar of peanut butter to reduce impact.
• Straw Pyramid: Tape plastic straws around your egg in a pyramid-like structure to absorb impact.

Steps

1

Grocery Bag Parachute

Download Article

1. 
   Make a parachute to slowly lower your egg. A “parachute” will increase air resistance to help slow your egg’s fall and increase its chances of surviving the drop. To create your parachute, grab a plastic grocery bag (or another lightweight item, like a coffee filter or paper towel) and attach 4 strings to the end. Attach the other ends of the strings to a small, lightweight container. Place your egg in the container, then drop it to see if it floats down.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Lynda R. Williams is a science teacher with a master's degree in teaching curriculum and instruction. She's taught science at every level, from elementary school through university.
Advertisement

2

Hot Air Balloon

Download Article

1. 
   Try to get your egg to float gently to the ground. Place your cup in a lightweight paper cup or another container to form the basket of your “hot air balloon.” Then, use a string to connect the basket to a balloon. Test it out to see if the balloon can slow your egg’s fall. Include more balloons if one isn’t enough to protect the egg.

3

Straw Pyramid

Download Article

1. 
   Center your egg inside a pyramid of straws. Grab several plastic straws and arrange and tape them so they form a pyramid-like structure around the egg (the egg should be in the center of a triangle). The ends of the straws will stick out, and since they’re bendy, they’ll absorb most of the impact from the fall.

   • Test this one a few times before your actual egg drop. If it doesn’t work, add more straws to your structure.
Advertisement

4

Cereal Egg Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Test different cereals to see which protects your egg best. Grab some boxes of different types of cereal, like Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, or Fruity Pebbles. Place your egg in a container, like a baggie, a can, or the cereal box itself, and surround it with the cereal of your choosing. You may find that certain cereals cushion the fall better than others!

5

Coffee Can Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Fill a coffee can with absorbent material. Williams says that when she was in seventh grade, she won her school’s egg-drop contest with this method. “I reasoned that the egg needed to be insulated so it would not break. I filled an old coffee can with popcorn and placed the raw egg in the center. It was dropped from the roof—and my egg survived!”

   • Williams adds, “This was actually my first memorable experience with science.”
Advertisement

6

Sponge Cushion

Download Article

1. 
   Cushion your egg’s fall with sponges. The air pockets in sponges will compress and expand as your egg falls to absorb the impact. The more sponges you use, the more likely your egg will survive. Cut several sponges into little squares and stack them up around each side of the egg. Use rubber bands or tape to secure everything together.

   • When coming up with an egg drop idea, Williams recommends that you “think about insulation and using something that can absorb the shock of the impact.”

7

Cup Stack Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Place your egg inside a stack of foam cups. For this method, you’ll need 8 styrofoam cups. Place a rock in the bottom of the first cup, then stack 6 empty ones on top of it. Place the egg in the top cup, then stack the last cup on top of it. Secure the stack with duct tape to keep all the cups and the egg in place.
Advertisement

8

Oobleck Cushion

Download Article

1. 
   Seal your egg inside a container with oobleck. Oobleck is a slimy substance made of cornstarch and water. Mix the two ingredients together until they’re gooey, then pour the oobleck into a ziplock bag. Place the bag inside another container, then put the egg on top of it. The oobleck should provide a cushion so the egg doesn’t break.

9

Plushie Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Use stuffed animals to protect your egg. Because plushies are made of soft materials, they’ll help absorb some of the impact from the fall. Wrap your egg up with a large plushie, or surround it with several smaller plushies. Secure it with rubber bands or tape so it doesn’t move around, then drop it to see if the plushies saved the day.
Advertisement

10

Filled Baggies

Download Article

1. 
   Fill plastic bags with different cushioning to see what works best. The egg drop is an experiment, after all, so play around to find out what items provide the best cushion. Fill ziplock bags with different materials, like sand, pasta, water beads, or cotton balls. Before your official egg drop, practice with each item to see which protects your egg.

11

Dodecahedron Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Create a dodecahedron out of straws to protect the egg. A dodecahedron is any 3D geometric figure with 12 flat faces. Having so many angles can help reinforce the straws so that they protect the egg. Tape the straws together with the egg tucked securely in the center.
Advertisement

12

Styrofoam Cup Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Use a foam container to absorb impact. Styrofoam is porous, so it helps slow down the time it takes for the egg to hit the ground. When it does hit, the foam will crumble and absorb the impact. Try securing your egg in a foam cup or takeout container before you drop it. It will likely work even better if you fill the container with cotton or packing peanuts.

13

Pringles Can

Download Article

1. 
   Cushion your egg inside a Pringles can. Because of its long, cylindrical shape, a Pringles can is an excellent container for an egg drop. Tightly pack it with cushioning on each side of the egg to hold it in place.
Advertisement

14

Pillow Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Wrap a pillow around your egg. This works similarly to the plushie drop; since the pillow is soft, it will help cushion the egg’s fall. Put the egg inside a small pillow or secure it between two pillows with tape or rubber bands. Then, drop the egg to see if it takes damage.

15

Pool Noodle Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Tuck your egg between pool noodles. The foam of the pool noodles will compress as the egg hits the ground, which will help spread the force so the egg doesn’t absorb the impact. Cut a pool noodle in half and place the egg between each half. Use tape or rubber bands to hold it in place.
Advertisement

16

Toilet Paper Roll Reinforcement

Download Article

1. 
   Protect the egg with cardboard tubes. Cardboard tubes, like toilet paper or paper towel rolls, will provide a protective structure that can stop the egg from breaking when dropped from a tall height. Glue or tape several tubes around the egg, or place the egg inside the tube and fill it with soft materials (like cotton balls). Try different structures and placements to see what works best.

17

Water Bag Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Test if water is enough to protect your egg. Fill a plastic bag with water and drop the egg inside. You want it to float in the center rather than rising to the top or sinking to the bottom, so try adding some salt if it doesn’t sit where you need it to. Then, seal the bag, and see if the water can keep the egg from cracking.
Advertisement

18

Floam-Covered Eggs

Download Article

1. 
   Cushion your egg with floam. Floam is a type of slime that’s mixed with foam microbeads. The idea is that the floam will help absorb the shock from the fall to protect your egg. Wrap the egg in at least 1 in (2.5 cm) of floam, though the more floam you use, the more likely your egg will survive.

   • It may also help to wrap the egg in floam and then put it inside another container for even more padding.

19

Peanut Butter Jar

Download Article

1. 
   Suspend your egg in a jar of peanut butter. Peanut butter is very dense and viscous, so it will prevent the egg from moving around inside the jar and absorb most of the impact. Scoop out about half of the peanut butter, place the egg inside, then cover it back up with the peanut butter you just took out. Seal the lid tightly before dropping.

   • This method can also work with a jar of marshmallow fluff!
Advertisement

20

Balloon Cushion

Download Article

1. 
   Tuck your egg in the middle of several balloons. The air inside the balloons will help absorb the shock from the fall so your egg is less likely to break. Blow up several balloons and place them inside a box. Then, tuck the egg in the center so it’s completely surrounded by the balloons. Close the box, then drop your egg.

21

Nature Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Use natural items found in your backyard to protect your egg. If you want to challenge yourself further, avoid using man-made materials like cotton balls or sponges to protect your egg. Instead, look around outside to see what you can find. Use materials like sticks, leaves, or even an abandoned bird’s nest to protect your egg.

   • For example, leaves could provide cushioning, or you could use sticks in place of straws to create a pyramid or dodecahedron around your egg.
Advertisement

22

Plastic Container and Pantyhose

Download Article

1. 
   Suspend the egg in a container by tying it inside pantyhose. This one may sound a bit strange, but it works! Put your egg inside one leg of a pair of pantyhose. Tie each end to secure it. Then, choose a large plastic container with a lid, and cut two small holes toward the top on either side. Slide the ends of the pantyhose through these holes so the egg is suspended inside.

   • Make sure the pantyhose are taut so the egg stays in place.
   • The container will take the impact, and the egg shouldn’t break since it won’t actually hit the ground itself.

23

Toothpick Container

Download Article

1. 
   Seal your egg inside a cage of toothpicks. Build a cage-like structure of toothpicks that’s slightly larger than your egg, gluing the toothpicks together. Place the egg inside and seal the open end of the structure with more toothpicks. When you drop the eggs, the toothpicks will serve as a crumple zone and absorb the impact.
Advertisement

24

Paper Cone Egg Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Keep your egg safe by putting it in a paper cone. The idea is that when you drop the cone with the tip pointed down, the tip will crumple and absorb the impact. Simply fold and tape a piece of paper into a cone shape and place the egg inside. Be sure to drop it so that the pointed tip hits the ground first.

25

Bubble Wrap

Download Article

1. 
   Protect the egg with a layer of bubble wrap. There’s a reason people use bubble wrap to protect their belongings while moving. The air pockets provide a lot of cushion that will prevent your egg from breaking. Tape your egg up in several layers of bubble wrap.
Advertisement

26

Cotton Ball Cocoon

Download Article

1. 
   Cotton will cushion your egg’s fall. When you drop an egg wrapped in cotton, the fibers and air pockets in the cotton will expand and slow the egg’s fall. It will also help distribute the force so the egg is less likely to break. Wrap your egg in a thick layer of cotton (cotton balls or cotton padding will work) and secure it well before dropping.

27

Cup and String Suspension

Download Article

1. 
   Suspend your egg inside a cup. Poke a few holes around the center of a cup, then tie the egg up using strings or rubber bands so that it doesn’t touch the bottom of the cup. When you drop the egg, the cup will absorb most of the impact, and the strings suspending your egg will help prevent it from hitting the ground.
Advertisement

28

Paper Mache Shell

Download Article

1. 
   Paper mache will harden and help protect your egg. To make paper mache, combine 1 part all-purpose flour and 2 parts water, then mix together to create the paste. Shred newspaper into strips, and dip the strips in the mixture. Then, wrap several layers of the strips around the egg. When the paper mache dries, it will harden into a protective shell.

29

Feather Drop

Download Article

1. 
   Attach feathers to the egg. The idea is that the feathers will create air resistance, or drag, to slow the egg as it falls. Glue real or fake feathers to the egg. It may help to wrap the egg with tape or put it in a small container, as well.
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Tips

• Remember to review all of your assignment’s instructions before choosing a protection method. For example, there may be size constraints for the materials you use.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement