Caterpillar to Butterfly Craft

Last year around this time we had a butterfly garden.  It was such an amazing

experience for the girls to see each stage of the butterfly's life!  I think we will do it again next spring. 

In the meantime, I thought a craft that changed from a caterpillar to a butterfly would be a fun refresher!

Supplies:
Clothespin
Pom poms
Glue
Small wiggly eyes/beads
Coffee filter
Markers
Toilet paper tube
Streamer
Tape

1)  Glue pom poms onto a clothespin to make a caterpillar.

2)  Glue on eyes.  I didn't have any wiggly eyes that were small enough, so we substituted beads.

3)  Use markers or watercolor paints to color a coffee filter.

At this point, we oohed and aahed over the caterpillars they created.  The girls went to bed, and I finished these steps.  I thought it would be a fun surprise, but you could have your child do each step themselves.

4)  Scrunch the coffee filter and clip with the clothespin to form butterfly wings.

5)  Place the butterfly in a toilet paper tube.  Tape and wrap a streamer around the tube to form a chrysalis.

The next day, I asked the girls where the caterpillars went.  We "found" the chrysalises and decided the caterpillars must be in them!  Later, I cut a slit in the bottom of the tube and pulled the butterfly out slightly.

The girls helped the butterflies emerge from their chrysalises!

Caterpillar Cookie

We made this for a friend's birthday!  Happy birthday, Ashlee!!

1)  Make 12-18 chocolate chip cookies.  Tint a container of frosting green. Spread frosting on top of a cookie and connect it to another cookie.

2)  Form a "body" with the cookies.

3)  Break pretzel sticks in half and place four on each side for legs.

4)  Use pretzels for the antenna (or birthday candles).  Put frosting on the back of candy bits (like M&Ms) and design a face!

We decided to move it to a glass plate and add a few paper leaves!

Paper Chain Caterpillar

Make this cute caterpillar for some practice with folding paper, using scissors, and gluing!

1)  Help your child fold a piece of construction paper in half, then in half again, and then in half again.  Have them cut on the lines made from the folds.

2)  Link the strips together to form a paper chain.

3)  Cut a short length of pipe cleaner and poke up through the first link.  Glue on wiggly eyes (or draw them with a marker).  Draw a mouth.

Bug Hats

The girls were needing new summer hats, so I stopped by a craft store and picked some up for just over $1.00!!  They are just a smidge big, but maybe that will protect their little ears and faces from the sun!

1)  Pick a hat.  Any type will do!  We sat our hat on a plastic storage container.  Pick your paint colors and pour in a lid or on a plate.

2)  Have your child press a finger in the paint and push it on the hat. Check for paint on other parts of the hand and clean them off if necessary (we learned this the hard way and have a few stains on the hat to show for it!).  Then add more fingerprints!  If you find the bowl cumbersome, just lay the hat down flat to work on it. Make sure to have cardboard between the layers or your paint might soak through to the back of the hat.

2)  After the paint is dry, use a permanent marker to add detail to your caterpillar (or other bug!).  Place in the dryer for 20-30 minutes to set the paint and marker.

I wanted each girl to have a different bug, so Sunshine chose ladybugs!

Princess made a butterfly!

They're ready for some sun!  Too bad we don't have any today!

Caterpillar Pizza

Our theme this week is caterpillars!  Let's make a "Caterpillar Pizza" for Tasty Tuesday. 

1)  You'll need some English muffins (or pizza dough).  Slice them in half and arrange in a caterpillar shape on a pizza pan or cookie sheet.

2)  Spread pizza sauce on each slice.  Add desired toppings.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5-8 minutes.

Use your creativity for the caterpillar features!  We used olives for the eyes and antenna, mushrooms for the feet and mouth, and pepperoni for the cheeks!