More Caterpillar Activites
THE LAZY CATERPILLAR (BI-LINGUAL)
Submitted by Vivian Garcia
I like to write Bilingual Poems English and Spanish. This is one that I wrote about four years ago. The Lazy Caterpillar
"A lazy caterpillar
I want to be forever."
She said to herself
"I am lazy, but clever
In this leafy tree
I want to live
A butterfly I don't want to be!"
A friend of hers appeared
And said to her very clear
" A butterfly you have to be my dear,
A lttle cocoon you will build pretty soon
And for a few days
You will sleep in that room."
The Lazy caterpillar
For a few days slept on her bed
When she woke up,
Two wings she has instead
She looked at her and what a surprise
Now she can flight!
And was delighted
with her colors so bright
Very hungry se flew
Showing her colors yellow, red ad blue..
Her friend she found
And very proud they went to fly around
This is the Spanish version:
La Oruga Perezosa
Habia una oruga muy perezosa,
Que no queria convertirse en mariposa.
"En esta hoja verde tan comodita
Yo me quedare y hare mi casita"
Otra oruga que alli habia
Le dijo a la perezosa lo que ella no sabia.
"Quieras o no mariposa seras, porque en oruga no te quedaras."
Pronto una crisalidad te haras
Y alli aunque no quieras dormiras
Despues de unos dias despertaras
Y una mariposa ya tu seras.
La oruga perezosa dormida se quedo y cuando desperto,
Muy rara ella se vio
"Tengo dos alas ymuchos colores
Voy a libar el nectar de las flores."
La oruga perezosa a su amiga encontro
Y muy feliz con ella volo
Y asi las orugas ya mariposas
Volaron muy orgullosa.
CATERPILLAR CRAFT
Materials: pringles can, green and red contact paper, construction paper, glue.
Cover a clean Pringles container with green contact paper. Then add construction paper legs. Cover the lid with red contact paper then add construction paper facial features to resemble a caterpillar face. Cut a hole in lid for the mouth. Cut out construction paper food resembling food in the story Very Hungry Caterpillar. Children retell story by feeding construction paper food through hole (mouth) in lid.
CATERPILLAR SNACK
wrap any healthy dry snack food with green tissue paper. Tie the open end with string. Leave the end long enough to allow you to tie it to a tree branch. The children will have fun selecting their cocoon to open and will enjoy eating the prize inside.
A Caterpillar
Submitted by Sally
A Caterpillar
A caterpillar crawled to the top of a tree,
"I think I'll take a nap," said he.
Under a leaf he began to creep,
To spin his cocoon,
And he feel asleep.
All winter long he slept in his bed,
"Till Spring came along one day and said,
"Wake up, it's time to get out of bed,
So he opened his eyes that sunshiny day,
And he was a butterfly, and he flew away.
THE LITTLE CATERPILLAR
Tune: Itsy Bitsy Spider"
The little caterpillar climbed up into a tree (climb fingers of one hand up other arm)
Spun his cocoon and slept so quietly (spin hands and sleep)
All through the winter he didn't make a sound (shake head no with finger front of lips)
He dreamt of his new life when he'd be flying around. (pretend to sleep)
While he was sleeping the snow did gently fall (fingers wiggle down)
Winter came and went then he heard the robin's call
"Come on Mr. Butterfly, out of your cocoon -(hands to mouth and shout)
Spread your wings and fly for me while I sing my tune." (spread arms and wave)
CATERPILLAR SONG
Caterpillar, Caterpillar (Freer Jacques)
Children can act out the words to the song.
Caterpillar, Caterpillar,
crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl,
Crawling on the ground,
crawling all around,
crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl
Caterpillar, caterpillar
eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat,
eat all day,
eat all night,
eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, eat.
Caterpillar, caterpillar,
spin, spin, spin, spin, spin, spin,
spin a great cocoon,
spin a great cocoon,
spin, spin, spin, spin, spin, spin
Caterpillar, caterpillar,
sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep,
sleep in your cocoon,
sleep until you bloom,
sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep.
Caterpillar, caterpillar,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle,
wiggle out of your cocoon,
wiggle till your through,
wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.
Caterpillar, caterpillar,
fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, fly,
'cause your not a caterpillar,
your a great big butterfly,so,
fly, fly, fly, fly, fly, fly.
HANDI-PILLARS
Paper
Paint
Markers
To make this very cute caterpillar, make a palm print with yellow paint to represent the caterpillar's head. Use a different color of paint to make each hand print segment of the caterpillar's body, creating a pattern. When the paint is dry, use a marker to add more details.
COCOON SURPRISE
Submitted by Stephanie
Materials:
Fingerpaint paper
Fingerpaints
Brown paper lunch bags
Stick or small branch (one for each child)
Brown and black tissue paper strips
Brown Yarn
Glue
Have the children fingerpaint using bright colors on large paper, and let dry. When he children are gone for the day. cut the paper into the shape of a butterfly. The next day, the children stuff a brown paper lunch bag with scrap papers, and then glue long, thin strips of brown and black tissue paper around the bag. When the children are gone again, put their butterflies in the bag and twist the top. When they return the next day, have them tie the top with brown yarn and attach it to a stick. Display them. When you are ready to send the cocoons home, attach a note to the parents asking them to talk aboutthe stages of a caterpillar and what happens to the cocoon. Tell them there is a surprise inside their cocoons. When they opem the bags, imagine the looks of their faces when they find a butterfly inside!!!
CHILDREN DRAMATIC PLAY COCOONS
Children can wrap each other in toilet paper (excluding their head) so they can feel what it would be like to be a caterpillar in a
cocoon. Have them close their eyes and imagine that they are about to become butterflies.Have them stretch their "wings" and tear through the toilet papter cocoons.Recycle toilet paper to be used with a different project!
Caterpillar Song
(To the tune of the Addams Family theme song)
My tummy is fat (snap! snap!)
I like it like that (snap! snap!)
I wiggle around,
I jiggle around,
It's fun being fat. (snap! snap!)
Oh, I'm a fat caterpillar,
Such a fuzzy feller.
I like to eat and eat,
This leaf is such a treat.
(repeat from beginning)
ROLY-POLY CATERPILLAR
Roly-poly caterpillar (wiggle right pointer finger)
Into a corner crept, (place right pointer finger in left cupped hand)
Spun around himself a blanket (spin around)
Then for a long time slept. (place head on folded hands)
Roly-poly caterpillar
(wiggle right pointer finger)
Wakening by and by, ("stretch" right pointer finger)
Found himself with beautiful wings
Changed to a butterfly. (flutter arms like wings)
COCOON
Papier-Mache' Cocoon
Materials
Oblong balloons
Mixing bowl or shallow tub
water
flour or liquid laundry starch
strips of newspaper
scissors
brown paint
paintbrushes
scarf or pieces of fabric
3+
What to do
1. Blow up the balloons ahead of time.
2. In a bowl or tub, make a mixture of two parts water to one part flour, or one part water to two parts liquid laundry starch.
3. Ask the children to dip strips of newspaper into to the mixture and lay them across their balloon, covering it.
4. Allow to dry for one or two days.
5. When the newspaper has dried, cut a flap in the top and pop the balloon.
6. Have the children paint the outside of the balloon "cocoon" brown.
7. Help the children tie a scarf or piece of fabric into the shape of a butterfly.
8. When the cocoon is dry, invite the children to place the butterfly inside.
Caterpillar, Caterpillar (sing to the tune of "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear")
Caterpillar, caterpillar (arms up high)
Turn around. (turn around)
Caterpillar, caterpillar (all fall down)
slither on the ground. (wiggle on the floor)
Caterpillar, caterpillar (stand up)
Spin a co-coon. (twirl around)
Caterpillar, caterpillar (sit down)
Sleep until noon. (pretend to sleep)
Changing Caterpillar (sing to the tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")
I eat leaves so green and long, green and long, green and long.
I eat leaves so green and long. They help me grow up big and strong.
Fast I spin so one day soon, one day soon, one day soon,
Fast I spin so one day soon, you'll find I've spun a big cocoon.
My body changes while I lie, while I lie, while I lie.
My body changes while I lie, so I can be a butterfly.
Crunchy Caterpillars
Spread PNB on celery sticks or bread sticks, and then sprinkle coconut over it that has been colored with green food coloring.
Fuzzy Wuzzy Creepy Crawly
Fuzzy wuzzy, creepy crawly
caterpillar funny.
You will be a butterfly
when the days are sunny.
Winging, flinging,
dancing, springing.
Butterfly so yellow.
You were once a caterpillar,
wiggly, wiggly fellow.
Lillian Schulz
Only My Opinion
Is a caterpillar ticklish?
Well, it's always my belief
that he giggles, as he wiggles
across a hairy leaf.
Monica Shannon
Caterpillar
(Let the words describe the actions)
Little fuzzy caterpillar
In your warm cocoon
The cold winter's over and you'll be hatching soon.
Then you'll spread your wings
On a warm summer's day
And wave us all good-by
As you fly, fly away.
LIVE COCOONS TO BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Marilyn
The number for the butterflies is 1-800-live-bug. It is a very enjoyable activity for both the teacher and the children. The entire process, from start to finish is approximately 17-20 days. That is relatively short. When you place the order over the phone, ask the person about the temperature requirements. I only know that it has to be at least 55 degrees to release
them into the air.
There are so many wonderful activities that you can work into the development of the butterflies that it is almost endless. We have a releasing "ceremony" on the day that we let the butterflies go and invite the moms to attend. It is special. Please contact me if I can help you with anything else.
Releasing Butterflies
Today was the day to release our butterflies back to nature. Since we have been enjoying watching their development, I wanted to make something special for the occasion. It was a beautiful day in New York just right to set them free.
A Fun Caterpillar:
You will need a straw that has a paper covering. Squish the paper covering down to the bottom of the straw. (Just as if you were going to use it) Take the straw paper the rest of the way off. You should have a little squished tunnel resembling a caterpillar. Now, take a drop or two of water and drop it right onto this paper caterpillar. Look--IT MOVES--Just like a caterpillar.
Estimation:
Estimation jar filled with caterpillars (those styrofoam peanuts again, decorated with dots and lines).
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Submitted by Mary of the KOS Loop
We have had fun doing activities based on the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
I made felt board pieces from the story so the children could re-tell the story themselves. I got my patterns for pieces from the book 2's Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz and Dick Wilmes. This book has great patterns if you aren't very good at drawing, like me!
We made pictures of caterpillars using round sponges for the body and our finger tips to add details- face, legs. Then we used the pictures to make our own version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each child picked a food that the caterpillar found to eat. Some of the foods our caterpillar found were cornbread muffins, hot dogs, yummy pizza and doughnuts. At the end our
caterpillar turned into a butterfly and flew home to her Mom. The children have enjoyed being able to "read" this book by themselves.
We made fruit prints with some of the fruits from the beginning of the story.
Everyone brought in their favorite piece of fruit. We counted the different kinds of fruit then made a graph. After that we made fruit salad for snack time.
We used nap time blankets to act out this poem-
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar into a corner will creep.
He'll spin himself a blanket and then go fast to sleep.
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar wakes up by and by,
To find he has wings of beauty, changed to a butterfly.
We used sequencing cards to tell the story. We had these pictures on cards- egg, small caterpillar, food and a leaf, big, fat caterpillar, cocoon and a beautiful butterfly.
We made a caterpillar with little balls of colorful tissue paper glued to a big popsicle stick. We used a little styrofoam ball for the head and added a face with markers. A toothpick broken in half were poked into the head for antenna.
We colored coffee filters with markers then sprayed them with water. When the filters were dry we gathered them in the middle with a pipe cleaner to make a butterfly.
Egg Carton Caterpillars: Cut off the tops of cardboard egg cartons and save them for other uses. Then cut the bottom sections of the egg cartons in half lengthwise. Turn the sections over and have the children paint them green, brown or orange (or whatever color they desire) to make caterpillar bodies. Help them poke pipe cleaners into the tops of their caterpillar heads to make antennae. Then have the children draw eyes and mouths on their caterpillars with felt-tip markers.
Pattern Caterpillars: Cut a large number of 1 inch circles from black and orange construction paper. Have the children create caterpillars by gluing the circles together, alternating colors to form patterns. Let them add circle stickers for eyes and construction paper antennae, if desired.
Read the poem below. Then ask the children what they would eat if they were hungry caterpillars.
What do caterpillars do?
Nothing but chew and chew.
What to caterpillars know?
Nothing much but how to grow.
They just eat what by and by
Will make them be a butterfly.
But this is more than I can do
However much I chew and chew!
Caterpillar Crawl: Have the children form a "caterpillar" by lining up in a row on their knees. Ask each child to hold onto the back or the legs of the person in front of her. Then have the children crawl together in a line by taking steps first with their right knees, then with their left knees.
Sleeping Caterpillars: Bring in a sleeping bag to use as a chrysalis and place it on the floor. Let one child at a time pretend to be a caterpillar and crawl inside the sleeping bag. Then have everyone sing the first verse of the song below. When the child crawls out of the sleeping bag, have everyone sing the second verse
Sung to "Goodnight Ladies"
Goodnight caterpillar,
Goodnight caterpillar,
Goodnight caterpillar,
You'll be a butterfly.
Merrily you fly away,
Fly away, fly away.
Merrily you fly away,
Pretty butterfly.
Crawling All Around (Freer Jacques)
Caterpillar, caterpillar,
Crawl crawl crawl, crawl crawl, crawl.
Crawling on the ground,
Crawling all around.
Crawl crawl crawl, crawl crawl crawl.
The Fuzzy Caterpillar (Itsy Bitsy Spider)
The fuzzy caterpillar curled up on a leaf,
Spun her little chrysalis and then fell fast asleep.
While she was sleeping, she dreamed that she could fly
And later when she woke up She was a butterfly!
The Caterpillars (London Bridge)
Caterpillars crawl around,
Crawl around, crawl around.
Caterpillars crawl around,
Down on the ground.
Caterpillars climb up high... Looking for some food.
Caterpillars find a leaf... To eat for a snack.
Caterpillars spin around... Making a cocoon.
Caterpillars stay inside... All winter long.
In the spring they wake right up... with wet and shiny wings.
Now they are pretty moths... and soon they'll fly away.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar, caterpillar, brown and furry (move cupped hand along arm)
Winter is coming, you'd better hurry. (move hand faster)
Find a leaf under which to creep. (Hold one hand over cupped hand)
Spin a cocoon in which to sleep. (Spin hand round and round cupped hand)
Then when springtime comes ne day, (Open arms in a large circular motion)
You'll be a moth and fly away! (Hook thumbs and wave fingers in a flying motion)
CATERPILLAR CRAFT
Materials: pringles can, green and red contact paper, construction paper, glue.
Cover a clean Pringles container with green contact paper. Then add construction paper legs. Cover the lid with red contact paper then add construction paper facial features to resemble a caterpillar face. Cut a hole in lid for the mouth. Cut out construction paper food resembling food in the story Very Hungry Caterpillar. Children retell story by feeding construction paper food through hole (mouth) in lid.
VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
Submitted by Karen
Feed the Caterpillar
Make a very hungry caterpillar using a pringles can and pieces cut out and laminated.
I pass out all of the things that the caterpillar eats to the children, and as I read the story the children put their pieces in the caterpillars mouth. When the caterpillar is done eating place the whole caterpiller into an other box or a bag (cocoon)painted brown, reach inside and pull out the butterfly as you finish the story.
How to make the caterpillar.
Empty a can of pringles or an oatmeal box and cover the outside with green paper, add eyes to the top, cut half of the lid off so item can be placed in the mouth. Make the pieces of all the things the caterpillar eats color and laminate them (you could also use felt pieces). Have another container that the caterpillar can fit in (cocoon. Make a butterfly and place it in the cocoon. You can velcro the butterfly to the side of the cocoon to find it eaiser.
Feed the Caterpillar
Submitted by Marianne
After reading The Very Hungary Caterpillar. Make caterpillars using wooden clothes pins that have pom poms glued onto them. Print out pictures of apples, pears, plums, strawberries and oranges on tagboard, cut out and laminate. Let your students feed they appropriate number of fruits to their caterpillar.
Submitted by Mary
We have had fun doing activities based on the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
I made felt board pieces from the story so the children could re-tell the story themselves. I got my patterns for pieces from the book 2's Experience Felt Board Fun by Liz and Dick Wilmes. This book has great patterns if you aren't very good at drawing, like me!
We made pictures of caterpillars using round sponges for the body and our finger tips to add details- face, legs. Then we used the pictures to make our own version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Each child picked a food that the caterpillar found to eat. Some of the foods our caterpillar found were cornbread muffins, hot dogs, yummy pizza and doughnuts. At the end our caterpillar turned into a butterfly and flew home to her Mom. The children have enjoyed being able to "read" this book by themselves.
We made fruit prints with some of the fruits from the beginning of the story.
Everyone brought in their favorite piece of fruit. We counted the different kinds of fruit then made a graph. After that we made fruit salad for snack time.
We used nap time blankets to act out this poem-
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar into a corner will creep.
He'll spin himself a blanket and then go fast to sleep.
Fuzzy wuzzy caterpillar wakes up by and by,
To find he has wings of beauty, changed to a butterfly.
We used sequencing cards to tell the story. We had these pictures on cards-egg, small caterpillar, food and a leaf, big, fat caterpillar, cocoon and a beautiful butterfly.
We made a caterpillar with little balls of colorful tissue paper glued to a big popsicle stick. We used a little styrofoam ball for the head and added a face with markers. A toothpick broken in half were poked into the head for antenna.
We colored coffee filters with markers then sprayed them with water. When the filters were dry we gathered them in the middle with a pipe cleaner to make a butterfly.
Catepillar Names
Students write each letter of their name on a construction paper circle (write for them if they cannot) and the child glues the circles together to form a caterpillar. They then glue either two wiggly eyes on the first letter of the name or two small construction paper circles (following directions). Children count the number of circles and then together create a class graph of the number of letters in their name. |
More butterfly activities
COCOONS AND BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by: Katherine Robertson and Dawn Hagan This is a cheaper alternative then ordering butterflies and it also takes as long as the teacher desires.
At the beggining of the week have the children paint clothes pins balck and then let them dry. Wrap the clothespins with tissue paper afterward and attach it to a green construction paper 'leaf'.
Then have the children colr on coffee filters.(these will be made into butterflies at the end of the project.)
At the end of the week, while the children are napping, take tissue paper off and put the coffe filter in the clothespin to make a butterfly. add antenna's and place it back on the tissue paper and back to where they were displayed all week (somewhere in classroom is best). After nap on the last day, have the children un-wrap there "cocoon" to reveal their beautiful butterflies.
We have done this with two year olds and they really enjoy it.
BUTTERFLY SNACKS
Fill a Ziploc bag with a brightly colored healthy snack like yogurt covered raisins or colored goldfish. Cinch the middle of the bag with a piece of yarn leaving the ends long enough to resemble antennae.
BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Marilyn
I take a square piece of cardboard (about 8 x 8 inches) and cover it with colorful tissue paper. (One square for each child.) Then I make Pasta bowtie butterflies. Take the bowtie pasta and place it in a plastic bag. Add a squirt of desired food coloring and a splash of alcohol. Shake the bag well. Then lay the pasta out on newspaper overnight to dry. I make lots of pasta butterflies in yellow, red, green and blue. I mix colors too to make purple and orange. Color your glue in spring colors. Take thin twigs and have the children glue then to the cardboard square and also the colorful pasta.
BUTTERFLY WINGS
Submitted by Theresa
Creative movement
materials: streamers cut into strips about 10" to 15", tape, computer paper, and record of classical music (your choice)
procedure: make two long cuffs for each child's lower arm out of the computer paper and tape four or five strips of streamers on each, being sure that the streamers are flowing freely.
when music is played, children can move around the room, fluttering their "wings."
Title: Butterfly
Submitted by Peg
Tune: itsy Bitsy Spider
The little butterfly has lots and lots of colors
I saw it out the window on a sunny day
He opened up his wings to show us all his colors
The wind began to blow and the butterfly flew away.
Butterfly Life Cycle Bracelet
Submitted by Deb
Take one pipe cleaner, 1 white pony bead to represent the egg, 1 red pony bead to represent the head of the caterpillar, 3 green pony beads to represent the caterpillar's body, a glitter bead to represent the chrysalis, and 1 butterfly bead at the end. After the children are done with the bracelet we ask them individually to tell us about their life cycle bracelet. The kids love their bracelets and are so proud of them.
TIN FOIL BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Cheryl
Supplies Needed
Tin Foil
Tempra Paint (I use Primary colors. The children can experence the science of mixing colors.)
Liquid Dish washing soap ( This keeps the paint from flaking off the tin foil!)
Add Liquid soap to tempra paint. Then allow the children to paint on a large sqare of tin foil. Allow to dry. When it is dry help the children fold their painted tin foil square like a fan. Pinch the middle and spread out the butterfly's wings. Place a pipe cleaner or colored wire for antenna's. Wow! Beautiful Butterfly!
HANDI-PILLARS
Paper
Paint
Markers
To make this very cute caterpillar, make a palm print with yellow paint to represent the caterpillar's head. Use a different color of paint to make each hand print segment of the caterpillar's body, creating a pattern. When the paint is dry, use a marker to add more details.
CUPCAKE LINER BUTTERFLIES
Items Required:
cup cake liners markers
crayons pipe cleaners
1. Flatten out cupcake liners and color with markers or crayons.
2. Pinch liners in the center and wrap with pipe cleaners using the
left over to make antennae.
BUTTERFLY CAKE
This cake is both simple and pretty. Bake a vanilla cake mix into two round layer pans. (you will only need one of the layers for this cake - enjoy the other layer with your family). Cut the cooled, round layer in half and turn the curved edge of the halves of the cake towards one another so that the curved parts are touching. (this will form the wings of the butterfly) Then place a Twinkie in the center of the cake right where the curves touch (this will form the body of the butterfly) Stick two pieces of long licorice in the top of the Twinkie to make an antenna. Then ice the entire cake with your favorite frosting. Decorate with M&Ms, or any other colorful candy. The children just LOVE this and it makes a wonderful treat for a Spring party.
BUTTERFLY SONG
Pretty Butterfly...
(Up on the House Top(Christmas Song)
First comes a butterfly and lays an egg,
Out comes the caterpillar with many legs.
Oh, see the caterpillar spin and spin,
A little cocoon (chrysalis) to sleep in.
Oh, oh, oh, look and see
Oh, oh, oh, look and see
Out of the cocoon (chrysalis) my, oh, my
Out comes a pretty butterfly.
Make Butterfly Life Cycle Books.
1. Butterfly Felt Board Activity (see songs and finger plays).
2. Give the children a copy of an empty Jar pattern, and ask them to create a bug no one has ever seen before. Then have them tell you about their bug and write it down for them. Cut out the bug jar and have them glue it to a piece of construction paper and attach the information about their bug to it also.
3. Give each child a *"B" picture and talk about the letter "B" and how bug starts with "B" and what bug is the letter "B" named after? Well a BumbleBee of course. then have everyone "b-b-b-buzz" like a bee. Ask them what sound the letter "B" makes? Have them practice the b sound by pretending to be bees. I like to turn a "B" side ways and show them that the letter "B" even kind of looks like a bee. Give each child a bee sticker to place on their picture.
Butterfly Toast
Cut toast into a butterfly shape, and let the kids paint it with butter colored with food coloring.
Color Butterflies
The first to come to the garden bed
Is a lovely butterfly of brilliant red.
Then in comes another and that makes two,
Fly right in, my friend of blue.
"The garden is fine, the best I've seen,"
Says the butterfly of springtime green.
Our garden needs a sunshiny fellow,
Fly in, butterfly with wings of yellow.
Little friend of purple, fly in too,
This garden is waiting for a color like you.
Orange, orange, you've waited so long,
Fly right in where you belong.
Butterflies, butterflies, you're such a sight,
Flying together-a springtime delight!
Susan M. Paprocki
(Felt Board Activity: Cut out Butterflies from felt for each color
named, and place on felt board as you read the poem.)
BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Marilyn
Our butterfly larvae has arrived and we are working on our butterfly unit.
The children really enjoy watching the changes that are beginning to take place. Last year's class was amazed at the formation of the crystalisis (sp?). So....... at circle time I invited those children who wanted to, to pretend to be the butterfly waiting to be born. I gave the child a light scarf to hold and then GENTLY wrapped the standing child with toilet tissue.
(do not cover the face) I put on some soft, light music and when the child was ready, he/she stretched and tore through the toilet paper then moved around the room waving the scarf. The children really liked this activity and we continued it every day until all the butterflies had hatched.
BUTTERFLY POEMS/FINGER PLAYS
Submitted by Susan
Caterpillar, warm and furry
You are always in a hurry
Munching, munching, munching leaves
Eating anytime you please.
Caterpillar, warm and furry
You are growing in a hurry
Curl up tight, snug and warm
You'll be safe from summer storm
Butterfly, butterfly,
Where do you roam?
Who's lucky garden do you call your own?
Butterfly, butterfly
Why won't you stay?
Why are you always,
Fluttering away?
Butterflies
Baggie Butterflies:
Fill a snack size ziploc bag with scarps of tissues paper and cellophane and then gather them together at the middle with half a pipe cleaner. Twist and bend the stem into antennae.
Fluttering Butterflies Snack:
Margarine or butter
¼ C. finely chopped nuts
48 small twisted pretzels
½ of a 14 oz. package vanilla caramels
1 T. milk
1 T. margarine or butter
48" red or black shoestring licorice cut into 1" pieces
½ of a 6 oz. pkg. of chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
Grease a large baking sheet. For the base of each butterfly, sprinkle about ½ t. of finely chopped nuts in a small circle on the greased sheet. Space circles 2" apart. Make wings by arranging 2 pretzels together atop a nut circle, set aside. Combine caramels, milk, and the 1 T margarine or butter in a 4-C. liquid measure. Microwave uncovered on high for 1-½ minutes. Use a scraper to stir till smooth. If caramels aren't soft enough microwave for 30-60 more seconds. Spoon 1 t. of mixture onto each set of two pretzels. For antennae press 2 pieces of licorice into each butterfly. Chill until firm. Put the chocolate pieces into a 2 C. liquid measuring cup and microwave on high for 1-1 ½ minutes or until melted. Spoon about ½ t. onto each butterfly and chill until firm. Makes 24.
A Fun Caterpillar:
You will need a straw that has a paper covering. Squish the paper covering down to the bottom of the straw. (Just as if you were going to use it) Take the straw paper the rest of the way off. You should have a little squished tunnel resembling a caterpillar. Now, take a drop or two of water and drop it right onto this paper caterpillar. Look--IT MOVES--Just like a caterpillar.
Estimation:
Estimation jar filled with caterpillars (those styrofoam peanuts again, decorated with dots and lines).
BUTTERFLY BULLETIN BOARD
I used a popsicle stick and placed pom poms on it to make the caterpillar body. Added wiggle eyes and pipe cleaner for the antennae. Painted a toilet paper roll brown for a cocoon.
Used an old fashioned clothes pin ... again tying the pipe cleaner on top for antennae (on the round end) Then in the slit I folded colored tissue paper like a fan and slid it in the slot. I opened it up and poooof a butterfly...
Connect all of the with a pipe cleaner ... one end of the pipe cleaner through the tiny slot in between the pom pom and the craft stick...Then the other end through the toilet paper roll ... the other end of the pipe cleaner gets folded over the end of the roll to secure it and slide the butterfly right over it (through the slit in the clothes pin) ... it is a representation of the caterpillar making it's cocoon and coming out a butterfly...
BUTTERFLY IDEAS FROM MAILBOX
Submitted by Sandra
Busy Butterflies
Emphasize positional words and following directions with this interactive
game. Cut flowers from colored construction paper. Laminate the flowers; then use Sticky-Tac to attach them to your chalkboard at varying heights. Use green chalk to add stems, leaves, and grass. Allow children to take turns using a small butterfly from a craft store to follow oral directions. For example, tell a student, "Fly the butterfly to the orange flower" or "Make the butterfly land between the red and blue flowers." Your little ones will go buggy over this game!
Citrus Snacks
Serve a springtime snack that resembles a beautiful butterfly. Peel several oranges and divide them into halves. Separate each half into sections containing two segments each. Being careful not to pull the segments completely apart, pull each section partially apart, starting from the inside where the seeds are and going toward the outside where the peel was. Lay each set of orange segments on a small paper plate; then give one plate to each student. Have each youngster add two short lengths of string licorice to resemble the butterfly's antennae. What a juicy creation!
Feet Aflutter
Step right into a tactile experience that results in a collection of one-of-a-kind butterflies. To make one butterfly, have each student step into a shallow pan of tempera paint with one bare foot and then press that paint covered foot onto a sheet of construction paper. Repeat the process with the other foot as shown. When the footprints dry, cut loosely around them. Then cut out a construction paper butterfly body and glue it between the two footprints. (If your youngsters' abilities permit, this is a great time to talk about left and right--and backwards!) For a colorful spring display, mount the completed butterflies around a construction paper tree.
LIFE CYCLE WITH MACARONI
Submitted by Peg
Put it all on a paper plate divided into 4 plates.
For eggs - use rice
Caterpillar - use spiral
Cocoon - use shell
Butterfly - Bowtie
Isn't this the best............
For Language and letter recognition. Cut a blue piece of construction paper in half. Cut two inch piece the length of the blue piece and make that grass.
Cut letter "c" shapes out and make a caterpillar ( CCCCCCC )
Make a face and some antenna's. Let the cut the gras only one inch and let them curl it with a pencil.
Make "cereal sow bugs" I like using cookie crisp cereal. Use a blunt needle and thread and string the pieces of cereal loosely on a double thread. Tie off. hand from the ceiling.
Tissue Paper Butterflies: Cut butterfly shapes from white construction paper. Set out assorted colors of 1 inch tissue paper squares, small containers of water and paintbrushes. Have the children paint the butterfly shapes with water and place the tissue paper squares randomly on the shapes. Hve them count to ten, then remove the wet tissue paper to view their colorful creations.
Clothespin Butterflies: Cut various colors of tissue paper into 12 inch squares. Set out slot type clothespins, colored pipe cleaners and assorted felt tip markers. Have the children pinch their tissue squares together in the middle and then insert the tissue into the slots of their clothespins to make wings. Have them wind pipe cleaners around the heads of their clothespins, leaving two small ends sticking up to form antennae. Let the children use felt tip markers to draw designs on the clothespin bodies of their butterflies. Then tie the butterflies to lengths of fishing line or string and hang them from the ceiling or in a window.
Ink Blot Butterflies: Spread newspapers on a table. Set out tempera paints in individual containers with an eyedropper in each. Let the children use the eyedroppers to drop paint onto pieces of drawing paper and help them fold the papers in half. Have the children press and smooth their papers, then unfold them to reveal the designs they have made. When the paint has dried, cut the papers into butterfly shapes.
Cut three paper plates into four sections each to make six pairs of butterfly wings. Draw from one to six circles on each pair of wings. Cut 3 inch slits in opposite sides each of six empty toilet tissue tubes. Give the children the butterfly wings and empty tubes. Let them take turns finding matching pairs of wings and inserting them in the slits to make butterflies. VARIATIONS: Make wings for matching colors, shapes, patterns or alphabet letters.
The Life Of A Butterfly (Skip to My Lo)
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
I'm a caterpillar, wiggle with me,
What'll I be, my darlin'?
A chrysalis, now sleep like me.....
What'll I be, my darlin'?
A butterfly, come fly with me...
Come fly with me my darlin'.
Now all together, lets do all three.
A caterpillar, a chrysalis, a butterfly -- three.
Move your body like this with me.
The life of a butterfly, darlin'.
Fly, Fly, Butterfly (Skip To My Lo)
Fly, fly, butterfly,
Fly, fly, butterfly,
Fly, fly, butterfly,
Fly up in the sky so high.
Flitter, flitter, butterfly...
Flitter and fly up in the sky.
Oh my, butterfly...
Do you always fly so high?
Caterpillars to Butterflies
Submitted by Jean
I took two of the ideas I have found and combined them for a great effect. My preschoolers painted sections of egg cartons green for caterpillars (we used sections of 3). After they dried, we put on the antennas, drew a face on, and then wrapped them up in toilet paper for their cocoon. We placed them in a dark place for a few days so they could sleep (but really so I could get to them without the children noticing). When the caterpillars were sleeping, I took the coffee filter idea and used food color to make pretty patterns. These were to be the butterflies wings. Without the children knowing, I glued the "wings" to their caterpillars and rewrapped them in their cocoons. All that week we talked about what might happen to our caterpillars and other changes we were noticing outside, and finally we decided that the caterpillars had slept long enough and we should wake them up. You would not believe the excitement there was as each child unwrapped his/her caterpillar and found a beautiful butterfly there in its place! It really went well and I enjoyed anticipating their reaction to the metamorphosis.
BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Nancy
a different way to make a pretty butterfly is by cutting all kinds of shapes (small or even paper punch shapes or circles) of MANY colors and after you have allot put them in a baggie. add a little confetti and glitter if desired . close baggie. twist a twistie around the center so you have 2 wings equal size. and attach it to a popsicle stick or tongue depressor. (About 1/3 down ) with the twistie or glue it on. put a face on one end of stick add a couple wiggle eyes if desired and add attenas .pipe cleaner. I like to use a old fashion clothes pen the best if you have any and push the filled baggie up in it and it is easy to attach atena around the ball part. put a face on the ball part.
BUTTERFLIES
Submitted by Betty
I do a really neat (but, unfortunately, teacher prepared) butterfly puppet with my class every year and it is a tremendous hit. We use it with Sharon Lucky's song, "Benjamin" (Melody House). Take a 1 1/2 x 6 " strip of black construction paper for each child. Cut lots of colors of 1 1/2 x 4" strips. Have the child pick four colors of the 4" lengths. Then loop them and staple them on to the 6" black strip to look like a caterpillar if you lay it flat _OOOO_ Leave a little at each end. It helps to start stapling the loops from the center out. This is all you do, but it is how you manipulate it makes it sooo cool! The above is the caterpillar stage. For the cocoon stage, wrap the loops up inside of the black strip, bringing the ends together. Then unfold it, bend it backwards (in half) to create the butterfly (loops as the wings). The children love to do this in the air...the caterpillar wiggles, the butterfly can flit and fly, and the cocoon rests gently. If you can find the music, it is beautiful..and better yet, they learn the word "Metamorphoses"!
BUTTERFLIES & INSECTS
Submitted by Karen
We begin our week reading THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR. We make the circle caterpillar (I give the kids lots of color circles to glue on and form a caterpillar, and two wiggly eyes.) We then take a window screen tool (the rolling plastic device) and dip it in green paint and they paint "grass" around their caterpillar with it. Some add antennae with a magic marker.
In our dramatic play center, we have collected "angel wings" that parents have donated from past plays, etc., and turn on classical music for the kids to "fly" to.
In our science center, we have magnifying glasses out, along with butterfly specimens that the kids have found, and if we're lucky, a caterpillar or two!
At circle time, I give each child a "half" of a butterfly that matches only one other child's (you could color these from a pattern and cut in half, or use wallpaper samples), and we turn on the classical music. The children "fly" around, and when the music stops, they have to find the other half of their butterfly.
For a math activity, using a butterfly bulletin board border, cut out the individual butterflies and laminate, then have the children form patterns with them. They could also sort them according to types, colors, etc.
As a second art project, we are making hand print butterflies. I will give the children two small "squirt bottles" ; one filled with red, and the other yellow paint. Using their dominant hand, they can squirt drops of paint onto their other hand, and then place their hands together and rub around until they're completely covered in paint. The red and yellow will mix in some areas, creating orange as well. Then they will open their hands and place them on a white sheet of paper, palms down, thumbs aligned and touching so that the hands are going to form the wings. Once their hands are on the paper, fan the fingers to fill in the wings. If you have access to "Biocolor" paints, they are really bright and the colors remain true, but temperas will work, too!
Butterfly song (to "I had a little turtle...")
I saw a little caterpillar wiggle up a tree.
He wiggled short, he wiggled long,
He wiggled right to me!
I put it in a covered box. "Don't go away," I said.
But when I opened up the box, a butterfly instead!
I could never understand it. Not even if I tried.
Only God in heaven could make a butterfly!
BUTTERFLIES UNIT
Submitted by Kathy
Art Project: "Clothespin Butterfly"
Materials needed: glue, scissors, clothespin, 2 1/4" eyes, 1 1" pom pom, 4 pieces of brightly colored tissue paper (wings), 2 round brightly colored stickers 3/4" wide, 1 4 1/2" pipe cleaner (antennae)
Directions
Cut wings from tissue paper (draw a stencil to copy on oak tag) and layer them on top of each other
Crinkle wings at center and fasten with clothespin Separate tissue paper layers to make them look pretty
Put stickers on wings
Glue on pom pom head and eyes opening clothespin slightly center pipe cleaner just behind pom pom head and close clothespin Twist pipe cleaner together on top of clothespin and curl each end to look like antenna
" Pretty Blue Butterfly" Poem
Pretty blue butterfly, spread your wings, and glide, glide, glide
Pretty blue butterfly, flap your wings
fly higher and higher up into the sky
Now butterfly, fold your wings tight and fall and roll and drift to the earth, and rest on a leaf for awhile, then dust yourself off and fly, fly, fly
Fly my little butterfly, fly to the right
fly to the left and twirl, twirl, twirl
Pretty blue butterfly, beautiful blue butterfly come, sit in the circle and rest (can use scarves, rags, streamers and crepe paper to help carry out actions in the poem) |
