Using construction paper, egg cartons, coffee filters, and your recycled “junk” bin or craft bin, your child can take a butterfly all the way from egg to wings.
We cut out leaves and glued puffy balls on as caterpillar eggs, but my daughter’s friend used a green feather as a leaf and your child could use anything they want as an egg (crumpled up aluminum foil?) Next, the kids created caterpillars from egg cartons I helped them cut up. 
They used tissue paper, pipe cleaners and googly eyes, but it would work just as well to use markers if you don’t have art supplies! They taped paper into a cone to make a chrysalis and made butterflies from coffee filters and paper and corks. I’m not giving specific directions because this project is all about imagination.
When they were finished, the kids tucked their butterflies into the cocoons, put the caterpillars in next to them, and pretended the butterflies were hatching out. They thought it was pretty cool, but making them was the best part. If you have the book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, these would make great props so your child could act out the story as you read it!
It’s also a great way to teach them about metamorphosis. Have fun!
Tags: butterfly, caterpillar, craft, eric carle, kids, metamorphosis, the very hungry caterpillar
Creative Mama 
March 29, 2010 at 3:59 pm |
[…] it as much as she did) and left the theater talking about what it would be like to fly. We did a craft project, taking a butterfly from egg to wings, and toppped Sunday off by going for a backyard birding […]