image by marieCaterpillars and butterflies offer fun opportunities to explore insects, observe changes in nature, and learn about the butterfly life cycle. As an added bonus, this transformation provides a natural way to talk about new life in Christ and the hope of Easter.
All Printables Free for Immediate Family Use or with a Current License Only
Draw on the coffee filter with washable markers. Using a water bottle, squirt water on the coffee filter. Watch the colors run together. Allow to dry. Scrunch up the middle of the coffee filter and wrap with a pipe cleaner to look like antennae. Spread the wings out.
Paint the palms of the child's hands. On a piece of construction paper, stamp the hands down (thumbs down, fingers pointing in opposite directions, handprints touching). Clean off both hands. Painting only the index finger black, stamp down the center of the handprints to make the butterfly's body. Add googly eyes and two antennas. Add the title "Jesus is Alive!"
Paint the bottoms of your child’s feet and press them onto paper, with the left foot on the right side and the right foot on the left side. Leave a small gap between the footprints to draw the butterfly's body, adding a long oval for the body, a circle for the head, and antennae on top.
Print the ABC Butterfly. Have the child write:
Admit – I sin.
Believe – Jesus died for me.
Choose – I need God.
Cut out the butterfly pieces. Glue the pieces together on a piece of construction paper. Decorate.
Print the Butterfly printable. Fold the paper in half and open back up. Drop paint around the fold line. Fold one side onto the other. Gently push the paint around to cover both sides of the butterfly. Carefully open the butterfly to see a mirror image.
Roll-a-Picture are fun games to play to incorporate fine motor skills, visual perception skills, taking turns, and family time! Think Cootie with a pencil. Several options are available to get you started!
Cut a 3-inch piece of celery and fill the center with peanut butter. Press four pretzels into the peanut butter, placing two on each side to create butterfly wings.
Cut a pineapple ring in half. Place one half on each side of a carrot or celery stick to create butterfly wings. Place a raisins at the top to make the butterfly’s head.
Fill a zip-top bag with small pieces of torn or cut construction paper. Seal the bag, then tie a ribbon or pipe cleaner around the middle to create butterfly wings.
This activity uses up scraps of construction paper while working the three fingers needed for a tripod grasp.
Transform Easter from confusion to a meaningful celebration with the Take Me to the Cross Easter Activity Workbook. Packed with 7 engaging lessons and hands-on activities, this workbook helps young hearts connect with the true meaning of Easter— Jesus' resurrection. Make learning about the Passion Week fun and impactful for your children.
Cut a paper egg carton to make a single line of containers. Turn upside down and paint each container. Add black pipecleaners for antennae, a mouth, and googly eyes. (To use with the Wordless Book theme, paint the caterpillar black, red, white, gold, and green.)
While I have never personally used a butterfly garden kit, my children have experienced the joy of raising butterflies in their classrooms at school. It’s a wonderful, hands-on way for kids to observe the transformation of caterpillars into butterflies. You can easily tie this activity to Easter as a symbol of new life or use it as a fun and educational springtime project.
Glue on a clothes pin colored pom poms. Add googly eyes. Put the clothes pin caterpillar inside a toilet roll and talked about how Jesus was put inside the tomb. (To use with the Wordless Book theme, use colors black, red, white, gold, and green.)
Tying to the The Very Hungry Caterpillar book, color the leaf on the Hungry Caterpillar Leaf worksheet green. Then poke seven small holes in a line to represent the caterpillar eating through the leaf. Take a piece of green yarn and thread it through the holes, moving it in and out like a caterpillar munching through the leaf. At the end of the yarn, attach a large pompom to represent the caterpillar's head, and add googly eyes for a playful touch. Alternatively, you can glue different colored pompoms along the leaf to create a fun, multicolored caterpillar. Glue green or gold glitter along the edges of the leaf.
Cut a banana into ½-inch slices. Arrange the slices in a row, spreading a little peanut butter between each slice to hold them together and create a caterpillar. Use small dots of peanut butter to attach raisins for feet.
Looking for new, fun activities to enjoy with your little ones this spring? We've got you covered! Download our FREE printable filled with 5 exciting and easy-to-do activities perfect for the season. Whether you're looking to get outside, craft together, or explore nature, these ideas will bring smiles and fun for your family this spring!
Hermie: A Common Caterpillar by Max Lucado tells the story of Hermie, a caterpillar who feels ordinary and overlooked compared to others. As Hermie struggles with his insecurities, he learns that God has a special plan for everyone, even the seemingly "common." This heartwarming story teaches children about self-worth, trust in God, and the idea that each person is unique and important in their own way.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle follows the journey of a small caterpillar as he eats his way through a variety of foods over a week's time. Starting with one apple and gradually increasing his intake, the caterpillar's appetite grows until he transforms into a beautiful butterfly. This classic story contains repetitive text, a focus on counting, days of the week, and the life cycle of a butterfly.
The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach is humorous book about a caterpillar struggling to be patient during his transformation into a butterfly. Written similarly to the Mo Willems' Elephant and Piggie series, caterpillar tries to rush through the process, learning valuable lessons about patience, growth, and embracing change along the way. With playful dialogue and vibrant illustrations, this book makes the concept of patience both fun and easy for children to understand.
In this delightful sequel to The Very Impatient Caterpillar, The Little Butterfly that Could by Ross Burach follows the butterfly on migration. Filled with doubt, the little butterfly learns an important lesson about perseverance and not stopping even when things are tough.
Help children experience the true meaning of Easter through hands-on learning with our Resurrection Eggs. This engaging activity walks kids through Jesus' last days, from the triumphal entry to the empty tomb, using scripture-filled eggs and meaningful symbols. This simple activity captivates young hearts with the powerful story of our Savior.
by: Heidi Franz
Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Fuzzy, fuzzy caterpillar (squat down)
Caterpillar, caterpillar
Fuzzy, fuzzy caterpillar
Eating the green leaves
Caterpillar growing big (stand taller)
Growing big, growing big
Caterpillar growing big
Growing every day.
Caterpillar spins a cocoon/chrysalis (circle)
Spins a cocoon, spins a cocoon
Caterpillar spins a cocoon
Curls up tight to sleep (sleep)
Butterfly spreads his wings (arms out)
Spreads his wings, spreads his wings
Butterfly spreads his wings
Fly, fly, fly! (move arms up and down)
Unknown Author
Tune: Skip to My Lou
Goodnight, caterpillars (children curl up and sleep)
Goodnight, caterpillars
Goodnight, caterpillars
You'll be a butterfly
Merrily ____ flies away (choose one child to fly over to the line)
Merrily ____ flies away
Merrily ____ flies away
Pretty butterfly
Unknown Author
Fuzzy little caterpillar
Crawling, crawling on the ground
Fuzzy little caterpillar
Nowhere to be found
Though we've looked and looked
And hunted everywhere around
Discussion: Where do you think the caterpillar went?
Author Unknown
One little caterpillar crawled on my shoe
Another came along and then there were two
Two little caterpillars crawled on my knee...
Three little caterpillars crawled on the floor...
Four little caterpillars watch them crawl away...
Author Unknown
"Let's go to sleep," the little caterpillars said (wiggle all finger)
As they tucked themselves into their beds (make a fist)
They will awaken by and by
And each one will be a lovely butterfly (open hand, one finger at time)
Watch a child confidently learn through engaging, hands-on activities in the ABCJesusLovesMe Preschool Curriculum. With a focus on both academics and biblical values, this program nurtures development in every area, all while making learning fun. Click to discover how we can support a child's educational journey!
Caterpillar to Butterfly
Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Without the child seeing, place a coffee filter (decorations above) into a cardboard tube.
“Let’s pretend this tube is a caterpillar, just like the hungry caterpillar in the book.” Show the tube to the child while covering the sides to hide the butterfly inside. “The caterpillar in our story ate and ate until he was very full. Next a caterpillar wraps a cocoon around himself.” Show image in book and wrap your hands tightly around the tube without the child seeing the butterfly inside. “Inside the cocoon it is very quiet and dark. The caterpillar stays there for a long time.”
“Some would think this is the end of the caterpillar. After dying on the cross, Jesus was placed in a very quiet and dark tomb for three days. Many people thought this was the end of Jesus. But we know that the caterpillar doesn’t stay in the cocoon and Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb. Let’s slowly count to three. 1-2-3. When the caterpillar is ready, he pushes, stretches, and shakes off the cocoon.” Slowly push out butterfly and spread wings. “The caterpillar didn’t stay in the tomb. The caterpillar became a beautiful butterfly. Jesus didn’t stay in the tomb either. After three days, Jesus came out of the tomb! Jesus is alive.”
