For the loudest sound hold lightly in the fingertips and shake; for a more subdued sound, hold firmly in the palm of the hand.

An egg shaker is a hand percussion instrument, in the idiophone category, that makes a noise when shaken, usually by hand. Functionally it is similar to a maraca. Typically the outer casing or container is oval or egg-shaped. It is partially full of small, loose objects, such as seeds or beads, which create the percussive sounds as they collide, both with each other and with the inside surface of the container.