The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, is one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. This charming tale of a tiny and very hungry caterpillar who eats a large quantity of food and then changes into a beautiful butterfly has entertained little ones for almost 50 years.
This classic story presents many learning concepts such as counting, colors, the days of the week and, most importantly, the life cycle of a butterfly.
Additionally, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, with its vibrant and delightful illustrations, inspires creativity. Here we have our very own hungry caterpillar. Students will paint their egg cartons and glue the eyes on (Tacky Glue works best). Simply poke a couple of holes in the top and supply children with fuzzy sticks for the antennae.
Blotto butterflies are a fun and simple craft that teaches symmetry. Supply your learners with a butterfly (older children should be encouraged to cut out their own) and some tempra paint. Students will place dollops of paint on one side of the butterfly only. They will then fold the insect in half and hold it down with one hand. Using their helper hands, students will smooth out the folded paper, spreading the paint inside. Prompt them to open up their butterflies very carefully.
Discuss how each wing is symmetrical, or a “mirror image of each other”. Activities such as this help to bolster children’s natural sense of balance which, in turn, helps to develop their observation, classification, and patterning skills.
After the paint has dried children may glue on the antennae.
“I’m the Cat in the Hat, and we’re off to have fun. We’ll visit the planets, the stars, and the sun!” These are the captivating first words of the book There’s No Place Like Space!. Written by Tish Rabe and beautifully illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, this wonderful book takes children on an exciting ride through the solar system, and teaches important basic concepts about space.
After being introduced to this book, preschoolers will enjoy making their own “planets”. Have students place cut up or torn pieces of bleeding tissue paper onto white construction paper circles. Instruct them to wet the tissue with a water filled spray bottle (supervision is important here). Once the tissue is sufficiently wet, gently remove and allow the “planets” to dry.
This activity encourages creative expression. The children love to choose their colors, and always get excited when they see the beautiful and varied works of art they have created. In addition, using a spray bottle improves fine motor skills and helps to build strength in small hands and fingers. Finally, cutting skills can be practiced, by encouraging the children (who wish to do so) to cut out their own circles.
Note: This revised edition of the book includes a glossary of space terms and excludes mention of Pluto, which is no longer considered a planet.
As a parent and a teacher, it’s always been fun and important for me to introduce ALL of my children to what I loved and adored, and learned from when I was young.
So every holiday season, I bring out the The Gingerbread Man. To me, this first edition Giant Golden Book was the most magical story ever. As a child I spent hours looking over the vibrant illustrations of Bill and Bonnie Rutherford, letting my imagination run away right along with that fearless, little yummy cookie.
This classic book is ideal for reading aloud and makes for an excellent literary-based art activity; gingerbread men and houses. Last year, we used our creations to decorate our classroom window.
The houses are made of basic shapes (squares, rectangles, and triangles) and can be cut out by you or by your children depending on their ability. This year, I will be offering even more materials such as stiff felt, fuzzy sticks, bows, etc., so maybe we’ll see some gingerbread girls!
MATERIALS USED:
– Construction paper
– Our gingerbread template
– Googly eyes
– Ricrac
– Acrylic craft jewels
– Stiff felt/fabric
– Sparkle/glitter pom poms
– Buttons
– Holiday scrapbook paper
– Sequins
– Mini bows
– White foam (roofs)
– Holiday fuzzy sticks
We're Gigi and Zoey. We teach a two-year program (preschool and pre-k), and we're passionate about Early Childhood Education and the philosophy that children learn through play. Our goal is to prepare children for kindergarten while making learning fun.
We hope that our resources inspire you, and that you will share them with your little ones.
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. To me, this first edition Giant Golden Book was the most magical story ever. As a child I spent hours looking over the vibrant illustrations of Bill and Bonnie Rutherford, letting my imagination run away right along with that fearless, little yummy cookie.
