I am not a Mum who is very crafty – I allow the boys to get crafty and do junk modelling, play dough activities, drawing etc… but I do not give them too much guidance because it is not something i am very good at. However, earlier in the summer I took part in a learning through play series of posts that the lovely Cerys from Rainy Day Mum held on her blog, and I chose to do an acitivity centred around The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, is a classic story and one that I remember with fond memories from when I was a child. I have been reading the book to Burton, since he was a baby and now both he and Jenson love the story. It is one which we read at bedtime often. In fact it pleases me now that Burton can read the book himself, and he will take a turn to read it before bedtime to Jenson and I.
It is a simple tale that will not require much explanation as it is so well known by everyone. I think a reason my two have loved it so much from such a young age, is because of its simplicity, its illustrations, and the fact that the holes in the book allow little fingers to join in and pretend to be a caterpillar!
Knowing how much my boys love the story and how much they love using play dough, I decided to mix the two together and bring the book to life with some play dough interaction. I asked them to make a hungry caterpillar and then make a butterfly each, assisting with their imaginative play and dexterity. I found lots of toy food items from their playroom to recreate all that the caterpillar ate on his journey to becoming a beautiful butterfly, and also used a leaf from the garden, a paper plate for the sun and the moon, a small basket for the cocoon and got Burton to write out the days of the week, which is helping to develop his writing and spelling skills.
Materials Needed:
For the very hungry caterpillar
red and green play dough (I made my own using this recipe)
4 googly eyes
8 small brown pom poms
1 purple pipe cleaner, cut into 4 equal pieces
2 small black pom poms
For the beautiful butterfly
as many different coloured play doughs as you can get ( I did not make these as I had a collection in the cupboard stored up from past birthdays and Christmas!)
green ribbon, cut into 4 pieces
4 tiny googly eyes
buttons and pom poms
grease proof paper
7 strips of paper and a pen/pencil
toy play food
a brown basket (cocoon)
How To Play:
Pass 2 pieces of greaseproof paper to your participants, along with equal amounts of the red and green play dough, and the eyes, nose, legs and antennae (google eyes, pipe cleaner and pom poms) so they can create their very own caterpillars.
The top caterpillar was made by Burton (almost 5 at the time) and Jenson (3) made the bottom one.
Then on 7 pieces of paper , write down all of the days of the week from Monday – Sunday
Then using the props and the days of the week slips of paper, you can tell the story in your own time and with as much or as little interaction as you like.
Once the very hungry caterpillar has woken up from his sleep inside the cocoon, you can pass the assorted coloured play doughs, pom poms, ribbon and buttons to your children and ask them to make their very own beautiful butterflies
Burton’s is the top one and Jenson’s butterfly is the bottom one
Making the butterflies took ages and was fascinating to watch how Burton and Jenson approached making them so differently. Sometimes they borrowed an idea they saw the other one using, but they were absorbed in their own designs mostly.
This craft idea was so much fun and something which they have asked to do again very soon.
Carolin
I love this, Jenny. Such a cute idea x
Jenny Paulin
thanks Carolin, it was so much fun x
Carolin
Also, thanks for linking up with our #MondayParentingPinItParty. Such a great idea for rainy days x
susanna
Love it! what a great craft accompaniment to such a classic tale. x
Michelle Twin Mum
My girls feel a bit old for this now but I wish I had known about this sort of thing when they were younger, it is so much fun and so engaging for them whilst also being fabulous learning, great stuff Jenny x
Pinkoddy
Wow they are fantastic – and we are always looking for fresh sensory ideas.
WildFamilyFun
The Hunger Caterpillar was my favourite book when I was young. This is such a lovely post and reminded me of reading the wonderful story.
pennyalexander
Lovley idea to bring a book to life, might have to try some things like this with my two, they love books but hate reading them 🙂
Stephanie
I LOVE that story, this is a great activity. My twins would love it.