March 20th is Very Hungry Caterpillar Day! What better way to celebrate than to read the book to your children and then do some of these activities in honor of both Eric Carle and caterpillars/butterflies. Children will love these fun, hands-on activities that will make sure they never forget the story of this very hungry caterpillar.
1. Watermelon Playdough
Children will love “eating” through a watermelon just like the hungry caterpillars. Have them create little watermelon seeds using playdough, roll dice, and then add that many “seeds” to their watermelons. They will practice their counting skills with this fun hands-on activity.
Learn More: Preschool Play and Learn
2. Cupcake Liner Caterpillars
The best thing about this activity is children will be able to both recreate an Eric Carle caterpillar and a butterfly using cupcake liners! Let kids show their creativity by letting them pick out which colors they want to use for their little critters. Then finish off their caterpillars with something we all love–googly eyes!
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3. Fruit Munch Activity
Children will practice their fine motor skills with this fun caterpillar hole punch activity by Modern Preschool. Have them use hole punchers to munch through the fruit just like the caterpillar did.
Learn More: Modern Preschool
4. Egg Carton Caterpillar
This craft for preschoolers will have all children engaged as they cut out their bumpy caterpillars from egg cartons and paint both their egg cartons and strawberries. In the end, they will have adorable caterpillars!
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5. Marshmallow Painting
This fun caterpillar painting activity involves two things children love–paint and marshmallows. They will have fun dipping their marshmallows in paint to create their caterpillars (and maybe even eat a few marshmallows in the process).
Learn More: YouTube
6. Very Hungry Caterpillar Story Retelling
Story retelling is important in improving reading comprehension. Use printouts like the ones provided in this link to help students retell the story of the very hungry caterpillar as he makes his way through all of the fruit and other foods!
Learn More: Kindergarten Works
7. Caterpillar Fruit Pizzas
Using sugar cookie dough and sliced fruit, have children create their own fruit pizzas with this fun caterpillar craft that they can eat after they complete! Students will have fun creating their own unique caterpillar fruit pizzas.
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8. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Puzzle
One thing kids love as much as books are puzzles. This link shows you how to make your own caterpillar puzzle. Children will have fun putting the pieces back together. Laminate the pieces to use them for a long time!
Learn More: Parenting Chaos
9. Bead Caterpillars
Children will love making their own little wriggly caterpillars. Use pipe cleaners for the caterpillar body and beads to decorate to make fun, unique caterpillars. Kids will have fun racing their new little pets around the room.
Learn More: Make and Takes
10. Food Sensory Activity
This activity encourages healthy eating while letting children explore the different foods. Use a toothpick or skewer to poke a hole in each food to shower where the caterpillar ate through each. You may notice that a couple of the foods in the picture don’t match those in the book. That’s okay! You can improvise with what you have on hand and discuss the differences between the book with your children.
Learn More: A Little Pinch of Perfect
11. Whimsical Caterpillars
An activity for school-age children, the provided link takes you to a lesson plan on how to create classroom whimsical caterpillars. You can have students create their own caterpillars, or you can make it a collaborative caterpillar project and have each student make one portion of a giant caterpillar.
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12. Caterpillar Headbands
These fun caterpillar headbands will have students wandering around the room looking for different items they, too, can eat through to grow big enough! Follow the link provided for a printable headband template.
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13. Caterpillar Necklaces
Bri Reads provides printable food and caterpillar pieces for you to print and cut out to make your own caterpillar necklace. Children will have fun coloring and then stringing together their necklaces. You can have them retell the story by putting their food items in the order in which the caterpillar ate them.
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14. Flying Butterfly Craft
What does the caterpillar turn into at the end of the book? A beautiful butterfly! Follow the directions in the attached video to create fun, cute “flying” butterflies. You can even hang them from your classroom ceiling after for all to enjoy!
Learn More: Paper Magic
15. M&M Caterpillars
This toddler-approved activity will have all children engaged! Have them practice both their counting and color recognition skills by putting different colored candies on their caterpillars. And who doesn’t love an activity you can eat at the end?
Learn More: Toddler Approved
16. Butterfly Symmetry Activity
Teach the concept of symmetry by having children do this symmetrical butterfly activity. They will have fun painting half the butterfly, folding it in half, and then opening it to see their creations! Take it a step further and search online for different, more complex butterfly templates.
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17. Fruit Kabobs
Have children create their own fruit kabobs using the fruits the very hungry caterpillar ate through. Have them count as they put each piece of fruit onto their kabobs. After, they will have fun eating their own caterpillar snack! You can use the fruits used in the story or use what you have on hand.
Learn More: Make and Takes
18. Caterpillar Name Activity
Children can practice multiple skills with this activity–cutting, pasting, and handwriting. Have them glue their caterpillars to paper and then write the letters of their name on each different portion of their caterpillars. Oh, and don’t forget to draw on the legs!
Learn More: Pinterest
19. Tissue Paper Caterpillars
This project takes a couple of days to complete, as children have to let their tissue paper caterpillars dry before they draw on the other details! During this time, you can talk about how the caterpillar also needed time in his cocoon before he could turn into a butterfly.
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20. 3D Caterpillar
Have students practice their fine motor skills in creating these fun 3D caterpillars. They will have hours of fun creating and then playing with their slinky caterpillars! Use different colored paper for unique caterpillars.
Learn More: Easy Peasy and Fun
21. Caterpillar Tracks Art
Brighten up your classroom with this creative activity. Simply provide your students with small sponge rollers, a canvas of paper, and vibrant colors of their choice. Then, invite them to forge their very own caterpillar creations by having them use their sponge rollers to roll colorful strips across the paper.
Learn More: Craftulate
22. Caterpillar Lifecycle Spinners
Introduce your kiddos to caterpillar life cycles with a dynamic biology lesson in disguise! Start by giving them lifecycle spinners that depict the four stages of caterpillar growth: egg, caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly. You can then task them with decorating each stage on their spinners, before prompting them to spin the wheel so that they can visualize the life cycle in action.
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23. Healthy Caterpillar Snack
Get your students excited for a scrumptious learning experience! Task them with constructing edible caterpillars by providing them with snacks like celery sticks, peanut butter, and grapes. This yummy activity is the perfect way to teach your little ones about healthy eating habits.
Learn More: YouTube
24. Caterpillar Counting Mats
These caterpillar counting mats are a delightful tool that you can use to amp up your kiddos’ love of numbers. Provide each of your little ones with a counting mat and a handful of pom-poms or counters. Then, guide them to place the appropriate number of items on each mat according to the numerals displayed.
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25. Caterpillar Clothespin Activity
Here’s an interactive activity that’s perfect for developing your learners’ fine motor skills! Begin by offering them decorated clothespins resembling caterpillar segments, where each segment bears a letter or number. Then, have them attach their hungry caterpillars to corresponding places on a paper apple.
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26. Butterfly Wingspan Comparison
This activity is sure to stretch your kiddos’ love for science and nature. Simply hand out measuring tapes and have them measure the wingspans of different butterfly models. Then, encourage them to jot down their findings and have them compare their notes with their fellow scientists.
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27. Caterpillar to Butterfly Yoga
Calm those little minds by incorporating some caterpillar yoga into their day! Kick off the day by leading your little ones through a series of poses that mimic the stages of a caterpillar’s life. For instance, you can start by having them perform ‘egg pose’, then transition to ‘caterpillar pose’, before delving e into ‘cocoon pose’, and then finally bloom into the ‘butterfly pose’.
Learn More: YouTube
28. Paper Plate Lifecycle Craft
Get your learners’ creative juices flowing with this crafty activity! Supply them with paper plates and assorted craft supplies and then task them with creating detailed representations of a caterpillar’s life cycle. These colorful paper plate designs are sure to add some cheer to their learning space.
Learn More: Parenting Chaos
29. Caterpillar Pattern Activity
Your kiddos will create patterns galore with this eye-catching activity! Simply provide them with caterpillar templates, along with colored pom poms, beads, and more. Then, invite them to go to town on their templates as they create recurring patterns along their caterpillar’s wiggly body.
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30. Cocoon Experiment
Breathe life into Caterpillar Day by inviting your learners to create their very own mesmerizing cocoon experiment. Task them with wrapping a small toy caterpillar or butterfly in a damp paper towel and then have them place it in a plastic bag. Over several days, allow them to observe the “metamorphosis” that takes place.
Learn More: YouTube
31. Leaf Munching Exercise
Introduce your students to the hungry caterpillar’s diet with this tactile project. Begin by providing them with cut-out leaf shapes that have holes punched in them to mimic caterpillar munching. Then, encourage them to observe the leaves and have them discuss how these holes represent the way caterpillars feast on leaves for sustenance.
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32. Story Sequencing
Get those little thinking caps on for this exciting memory exercise. Use picture cards that depict key events from “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and invite your students to place them in sequential order. It’s storytelling with a twist!
Learn More: Twinkl
33. Caterpillar Measurement Activity
Pique the interest of your budding mathematicians with this measurement activity. Simply provide them with some craft paper and then task them with creating caterpillars of varying lengths. After they have created their colorful caterpillars, have them measure each caterpillar using either a ruler or Unifix cubes.
Learn More: Pinterest
34. Tissue Paper Butterfly Craft
Watch your little ones soar to new heights as they create dazzling designs! Begin by supplying them with tissue paper and pipe cleaners that they will use to create intricate butterflies. As they work on their creations, encourage them to discuss the butterfly stage of the caterpillar lifecycle. Once completed, change their butterflies around the classroom for all to admire.
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35. Leaf Rubbing Art
Art meets nature in this sensory-rich activity! Send your kiddos out into the schoolyard to collect leaves of varying shapes and sizes and then have them use crayons to create leaf rubbings on paper. While they create their colorful pieces, invite them to discuss how caterpillars often live in leafy environments and munch on leaves for nourishment.
Learn More: 100 directions
36. Caterpillar Rhyming Words Activity
Here’s an activity that adds some linguistic flair to matching games. Start by creating a series of paper caterpillars with each segment containing a word. Then, challenge your students with finding and grouping caterpillars that have rhyming words.
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37. Nature Walk and Caterpillar Hunt
Step into the great outdoors as you lead your kiddos on a nature walk. As they explore, task them with jotting down their findings as they hunt for caterpillars or butterflies. This activity is sure to sharpen their observational skills while simultaneously connecting them with the natural world.
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38. Caterpillar Alphabet Match
Add some fun to alphabet learning with this hands-on activity. Simply begin by handing out caterpillar segments to your little learners that have uppercase and lowercase letters on them. Then, task them with matching each uppercase letter with its corresponding lowercase letter.
Learn More: Growing Book by Book
39. Days of the Week Activity
Take storytime to the next level with a lesson on the sequence of days. Read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to your students and use the story to highlight the days of the week. Afterward, challenge them to remember what the caterpillar ate on each day to create a memorable and educational experience.
Learn More: A Little Pinch of Perfect
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