How to Have an Egg Toss

Egg toss is a fast-paced, competitive and very messy way to celebrate Easter, break the ice at an outdoor party or give physics students a first-hand demonstration of the principles of impulse and momentum. To host an egg toss, you'll need an even number of players, together with half as many uncooked eggs -- plus a few spares.

Divide players into teams of two and provide each team with an egg. You can assign teams at random or allow players to enter in pairs. Dress players in protective coveralls or advise them to wear old clothing they don't mind getting dirty. Players should wear protective eyewear. Select a player from each team to play first and line up the pairs standing opposite each other. Start the teams a short distance apart -- three feet is a good starting distance.

The first player now throws the egg to her teammate. The teammate's job is to catch the egg without breaking it. If a team's egg breaks, either because the receiving player didn't catch the egg or because it cracked in his hands, the team is eliminated. Each remaining player now takes a step backward and throws again.

Play continues, with teams stepping back after each throw, until all eggs but one break. The last team to have an unbroken egg wins the game. Measure and record the distance between the two players on the winning team; if you play multiple rounds, the team with the longest distance is the overall winner.

The World Egg Throwing Federation acknowledges several variants of egg toss, including a relay race in which teams pass an entire carton of eggs one by one. Players pass eggs by hand in this race, but you can also have them throw the eggs. This method will cover more ground and be much messier. For a less slimy version of egg toss, just replace the eggs with water balloons. Failing to catch a water balloon is much cleaner than failing to catch an egg, but just as hilariously embarrassing.