Despite being published over 50 years ago, Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar still resonates with kids today. It is so beloved that there is even a special day dedicated to this favorite book: March 20 is known as Very Hungry Caterpillar Day around the world. Some even celebrate author Eric Carle’s birthday on June 25. Whether you are in the mood for a good art project, science lesson, or even a healthy snack, the possibilities for classroom activities, art projects, and crafts based on this beloved tale are endless. Check out our favorite Very Hungry Caterpillar activities that celebrate this classic children’s book.
Create a caterpillar on the top of a tissue box, then poke holes in the caterpillar’s body. Finally, have your students work on their fine motor skills by dropping red and green pom-poms into the holes.
Being able to recognize the similarities and differences between letters is an important skill for early readers and writers. With this fun activity, kids build caterpillars letter by letter by sorting them into curves and straights.
This activity is a fun way to work on another important literacy skill: sequencing. After reading the story together, students can retell it in order by clipping the story sequence circles (download here) onto the caterpillar body.
These simple, colorful word puzzles are a novel way to practice letter sounds, shape recognition, word building, and fine motor skills. Download templates here.
Speaking of fine motor skills, kids will love this activity. They will chomp and munch through the fruit shapes using a caterpillar hole punch. Have them retell the story as they munch so you can check for comprehension.
Get your hands dirty and give a little nature lesson while celebrating The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This blog gives you step-by-step directions (scroll down to Thursday’s entry) for creating your own project.
Read the story to your students, then create the life cycle of a butterfly. We love Very Hungry Caterpillar activities that can be re-created using items you likely already have at home or can gather during a nature walk.
Looking for Very Hungry Caterpillar activities that combine art and math? These free fingerprint counting printables make learning number sense fun while giving your kids a chance to get their hands messy. Also, check out Totschooling’s free dot-paint packet, which includes tons of activities to help kids work on fine motor skills, counting skills, prereading and prewriting skills, and more.
Use this fun basket when reading the story with your class, then have it available afterward for kids to enjoy in a choice center. Include the book, a caterpillar, a butterfly, and plastic foods for the caterpillar to munch on.
Have each student paint a green circle on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of white card stock. If you have time to take and print photos of each child, have them glue their photo inside of their circle. If not, ask each student to draw a self-portrait. Join the children’s pages together with staples or tape and add the caterpillar’s head (see photo for sample). Hang your class caterpillar in the hall outside your classroom or on your door to share with your school.
Use the Very Hungry Caterpillar story as a jumping-off point for a discussion about healthy eating, then have your students create this adorable snack. Be sure to check for allergies before creating this tasty little guy with your little chefs.
Use this free printable to create fruit, caterpillar, leaf, and butterfly pieces, then spread them out on a large white sheet on the floor. Test your students’ recollection skills as they act out the events in the story.
Sensory bins are a great way for young kids to learn through tactile play. This adorable Very Hungry Caterpillar–inspired sensory bin is made up of dried chickpeas, dried peas, dried lentils, and some liquid watercolors. Kids will have fun creating the main character of this beloved children’s classic.
If you’re short on time, a store-bought activity might just be the way to go. With nearly five stars and over 1,500 reviews on Amazon, we think this game is a real winner!
This video starring a puppet of none other than the Very Hungry Caterpillar will be sure to captivate your students. It may even inspire your students to act out their new favorite story!
Amazon
17. Hatch Butterflies
Growing and hatching actual butterflies is a magical experience even for adults. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the perfect book to tie together ELA and STEM lessons. The sweet story is a good introduction to the life cycle of a caterpillar. We love that this kit comes with a journal to record student observations during the process. Finally, release those beautiful butterflies outside as a class.
These adorable handmade story stones make the perfect addition to any classroom. Students can follow along with the story as they string together these discs. They can also lay them out on a rug or floor and work together to find the right stone for each part of the story.
This caterpillar necklace is a fantastic way to get kids’ imaginations going and support fine motor skills. This simple activity involves threading dyed penne noodles and paper discs cut from construction paper onto a piece of yarn. Tie off the ends, and your kids will have a fancy necklace to share with their families.
This colorful craft is as fun as it is pretty! Children tear squares from thick sheets of tissue paper and glue them onto a pre-cut card-stock butterfly to replicate the one at the end of the book.
This activity will be sure to delight your students since young kids love to play with play dough. Provide them with a rainbow of colors, then watch as they re-create scenes from the beloved story.
Kids (and adults) love painting rocks so what better way to bring this famous story to life? It’s hard to get details with paintbrushes so grab some paint markers before working on this project.
This simple craft works on fine motor skills since kids will have to work on bending pipe cleaners around Popsicle sticks. The end product will be an oh-so adorable new caterpillar that can double as a desk buddy!
No activity roundup for The Very Hungry Caterpillar would be complete without the classic egg carton caterpillar. Yes, it’s been done before, but it’s one of those memorable activities (and keepsakes) that every kid loves.
We love how simple this project is, since all you will need are some pipe cleaners and beads and maybe some green card stock. Kids will be working on their fine motor control while getting creative.
Printmaking but for the pre-K crowd! This is so easy to do: Just put some green, yellow, and red paint on a paper plate, hand the kiddos some balloons, and watch them create. Just be warned, however, things could get messy!
What better way to bring The Very Hungry Caterpillar book to life than by dressing the part? This adorable mask can be made using art materials you probably already have lying around. You may just need to buy a pack of sturdy paper plates and a roll of elastic.
In the Playroom
29. Cupcake Liner Caterpillars
Flatten some green and red cupcake liners, add googly eyes and sequins, then create this adorable caterpillar. You can get other colored cupcake liners as well so you can create the butterfly at the end of the book too!
This adorable book features a little caterpillar lying on a leaf on the cover, his cozy cocoon on the back, and the butterfly he becomes in the middle. Hang these books from your classroom ceiling for a colorful display.
While crafts are great for working our little ones’ creative minds, we love that this project works on letter recognition, name building, and pattern creation as well.
Download the free printable or create your own puppets based on the story. Regardless of whether kids want to re-create the story from memory or create their own, fun is sure to be had!
Use pom-poms, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes to create these adorable caterpillars. Cut out some fresh green leaves, pop them into a mason jar, and give your students their very own lovable pet.
This project might be too detailed to do with little students, but you can create it yourself for use in your classroom. You could also have the kids help with some of the easier parts. Then, when working on some Very Hungry Caterpillar activities, your students can store their markers inside their new favorite character.
