Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Egg Drop Challenge Planner: Free Printable Planner for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Egg Drop Challenge Planner is a free printable design and technology planner for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children plan, test and improve a design that protects an egg in a fall. It is screen free, needs only paper, a pencil and some everyday materials, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help, a stretch idea and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children use the planner to work like a designer. They plan a way to protect an egg in a fall, test their design, and then improve it using what they saw happen. The sheet has lines for writing, so children can record their plan and their results in their own words. It is a hands on challenge, with the planner keeping their thinking in one place.
Ideas for your egg protector
Soft layers
Try cotton wool, scrunched paper, bubble wrap or fabric scraps. Soft layers can make the landing gentler. Test two of them against each other to see which works better.
A sturdy outer shell
A small box, a paper cup or a tube can hold the egg and its padding together. Think about how the egg sits inside and whether it can rattle around.
Slowing the fall
A paper parachute or paper streamers may slow the fall. Try a small change and see if the egg lands differently.
Sketch before you build
Draw your idea on the planner first. Label the materials. Then build it and see how close the real design is to the drawing.
Why egg drop challenges are popular in design and technology
An egg drop is a classic design challenge because the problem is easy to understand. An egg is fragile, the ground is hard, and children must decide how to protect it. There is no single correct design. Children try ideas, see what happens and change their plan, which is how real designers and engineers work.
The challenge also teaches children to judge a design by evidence. A design may look strong but still fail. A plain one may work well. By recording each test, children learn to compare results, spot what made the difference and explain their choices clearly. That is the evaluating part of design and technology.
Test outside on a safe, clear surface. Use a boiled egg or a raw egg sealed in a bag. An adult boils the egg and lets it cool fully. Wash hands after touching raw egg, and check for egg allergies. Adults do any dropping from height. Children should never climb on chairs, tables or ladders.
Quick facts about falling objects
- Gravity pulls everything towards the ground.
- Air pushes against anything that falls. This push is called air resistance.
- A wide, flat shape such as a parachute catches more air, so it usually falls more slowly.
- A soft material can make a landing gentler because it takes longer to stop the egg.
- Engineers test their designs, look for problems and improve them, just as you do in this challenge.
Skills and curriculum link
- Designing
- Testing
- Improving
- Recording results
- Fair testing
- Explaining choices
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Design and Technology | Design | Year 5 |
| National Curriculum (England) | Design and Technology | Evaluate | Year 5 |
What children will be able to do
- I can plan a design to protect an egg.
- I can test my design and record what happens.
- I can improve it using what I learned.
Ideas to help your child think like a designer
- Start with the problemAsk what makes an egg break in a fall. Children plan better when they name the problem before choosing materials.
- One change at a timeIf you change several things at once, you cannot tell which one made the difference. Changing one thing keeps the test fair.
- Same drop each timeUse the same height and the same surface for each test. Then the results can be compared.
- Failure is usefulA cracked egg shows what to fix. Encourage children to look at where and why it cracked.
Key words
- DesignA plan for how something will look and work.
- TestTry something out to see whether it works.
- EvaluateLook at the results and decide what worked well and what did not.
- Fair testA test where only one thing changes and everything else stays the same.
- CushioningSoft material that makes a landing gentler.
- ImproveChange a design to make it work better.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself.
- Read the sheet together and gather materials. Talk about what each one might do for the egg.
- Let your child plan and build their design. An adult boils the egg and lets it cool, then drops it from a safe height outside on a clear surface.
- Record what happens on the planner, then talk about what to change. Check page 2 for the notes and answers.
- Come back another day and try a new design. Repeating a familiar challenge builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Pick just two materials and test them against each other. Use the same egg, the same height and the same surface each time. Say out loud which one protected the egg better, and write that on the planner.
To stretch confident children
Change one thing at a time and record what happens each time. You could change the amount of padding, the shape of the outer shell or the drop height. After several tests, explain which change made the biggest difference.
Make it a game
Compete with family to see whose design survives the highest drop. An adult sets each height, does every drop and marks the heights with tape on a wall. Each design gets one go per height. The last design with an unbroken egg wins.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forThe design is changed in several ways at once, so nobody knows what helped.
Try thisChange only one thing between tests. Write it on the planner before dropping again.
Watch forThe egg is dropped from a different height each time.
Try thisMark a height with tape or a chalk line and use it for every test so the results can be compared.
Watch forThe design is thrown away after it fails.
Try thisLook at where the egg cracked. Ask what part of the design could protect that spot, then improve the same design.
Talk about it
- What is the biggest risk to the egg when it lands?
- Which material do you think will protect it best, and why?
- How will you make your test fair?
- What did you see happen when the egg landed?
- If you had one more go, what would you change first?
- Would your design work for a different object, such as a small toy?
Take it off the page
Paper parachute
Make a parachute from a paper square and string, then attach a small light object such as a button. An adult holds it up and releases it. Compare it with the same object dropped without the parachute.
Soft or hard sort
Collect household materials and sort them into soft and firm. Predict which would make a good cushion, then press each one gently to check.
Design sketch gallery
Sketch three different egg protectors with labels. Share them with family and ask which one they think would work best, and why.
Who it is for
Parents
Work through the first plan together and talk about each choice. Then let your child lead. Do the dropping yourself. Praise their thinking and their willingness to improve a design, not just whether the egg survives.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and gathering materials. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. Teachers carry out the drops and check allergies.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider design and technology plan. It pairs well with outdoor play, books about inventors and everyday talk about how things are made. Use it again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit the skill a few weeks later.
Where this fits in design and technology
Before this, children design and make simple models, choose materials for a reason and say what they like about their work. They begin to understand that a design has a purpose.
After this, children plan more detailed designs, test them against what the product needs to do and evaluate their work in more depth. Testing, recording and improving are skills that carry through Key Stage 2.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Why did you choose those materials?
- What happened when you tested it?
- What would you change in your next design?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Egg Drop Challenge Planner for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10) in Key Stage 2. Younger children may enjoy it with adult help, and older children can use the stretch idea to make it harder.
- What will children practise?
Children plan, test and improve a design to protect an egg in a fall. They also record what happens and use the results to decide what to change next.
- Is it safe to use real eggs?
Use a boiled egg, or a raw egg sealed in a bag. An adult boils the egg and lets it cool. Test outside, wash hands after touching raw egg and check for allergies first.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Pick two materials and test them against each other. Use the same height and surface each time. Fewer choices make the planning easier, and children can add more materials later.
- Does it link to the National Curriculum?
Yes, at strand level. It supports the Design and Evaluate strands of Design and Technology in the National Curriculum for England. Please check it against your own school plan.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and gathering simple materials. An adult should carry out the drops.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or a repeat go another day.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.