What Is The Egg Crack Challenge? Here’s The New Viral Trend Dividing TikTok

Parents on TikTok are facing backlash for participating in a new trend called the Egg Crack Challenge.

Its origins are unknown, but its collective hashtags (#eggcrack and #eggcrackchallenge) already have a combined 195.6 million views. And as with most trends, the Egg Crack Challenge was relatively harmless at the beginning. TikTokers would record themselves making a recipe with eggs and crack them over the heads of whoever was in the frame — usually a partner or a parent. The joke lies in the reaction of whoever is getting cracked, whether it's positive or not.

The trend was initially done between adults, but a quick search on the app shows that it's now dominated by adults cracking eggs on the heads of their children or young siblings.

The reactions of these children vary — some laugh, while others express confusion, burst into tears, or have an allergic reaction. Several compilations have been made, with commenters pointing out their favorite renditions. But as the trend grows so has the criticism, with TikTokers calling out the immature behavior of the pranksters.

"Maybe I'm just too old for this app, but I absolutely hate this," TikToker and author Jessica Valenti said about the challenge. "I understand in the grand scheme of things it's not the most horrible... but it's just so pointlessly mean."

People are also warning parents of the potential consequences of thumping on their child, however softly.

"She'll be telling her therapist about this incident 30 years from now," one user said on a parent's TikTok with 2.6 million views. Though this comment had a high amount of likes, it was just one piece of feedback sprinkled among dozens of comments affirming the poster's behavior ("her reaction is priceless!"). This seems to be a recurring theme on other iterations of the trend.

"Not to little kids. He'll never forget or trust you again," a user commented on TikToker Shandy Dawn (@shandydawn3) video with 962,300 views. She responded with a follow-up video, promising not to do it again. Like Dawn, several parents have appeared to taken the the feedback seriously. Others have avoided controversy altogether by turning off their comments.