April 2014
Wake up! Wake up! It’s SPRING!

What a wonderful time of year. Here are some songs, poems, stories, art projects, and cooking activities to help you celebrate! Let’s get started with this free song download! Click here to download Caterpillar's Story. If you are using a mobile device, click here for more information before you download this song.

Caterpillar’s Story
A caterpillar crawled      (Hold up right arm. Wiggle index finger on
to the top of a tree.         left hand like a caterpillar and crawl up arm.)
I think I’ll take a nap said he.     (Wiggle left index finger.)
Under a leaf he began to creep,        (Wrap fingers from right hand
He spun a chrysalis and went to sleep.   around left index finger.)
Spring came along, shook him and said,   (Shake left index finger.)
“Wake up, wake up, you sleepy head.”
Out of the leaf he spread his wings to fly,     (Hook thumbs together and
“Look at me! Look at me! I’m a butterfly!” spread fingers in the air and                                                                                         flutter like wings.)

Life Cycle Project

Ask children to bring in a stick from home. Explain that it should be as long as their foot. Have them glue a piece of rice on the left end of their stick to represent the caterpillar’s “egg.” Next, glue on a corkscrew pasta for the “caterpillar.” Glue a seashell pasta on next for the “chrysalis.” Finally, glue a bowtie pasta on the red end of the stick for the “butterfly.” Encourage children to describe the life cycle of the butterfly using their stick.

Hint! You could also use a bean for the egg, fuzzy yarn for the caterpillar, cotton ball for the chrysalis, and tissue paper for the butterfly.

Baggie Butterfly

You will need a zip sandwich bag, tissue paper, and a pipe cleaner for this project. Let children tear tissue paper into little pieces and put it in the bag. Close. Squeeze the bag in the middle and twist around the pipe cleaner for the body as shown. Hang from the ceiling or attach a piece of string so children can “fly” it.

Butterfly Puppet

Children will need to bring an old sock from home for this puppet. First, let them decorate the outside of the sock to look like a caterpillar. They can use markers, pompoms, etc.

Next, prepare a butterfly using a coffee filter. Children fold the coffee filter into eighths. Using an eye drop, have them drop colored water onto the coffee filter. Open and dry. Scrunch up in the middle and fasten on a pipe cleaner for the body and antenna.

Turn the sock inside out and pin the butterfly inside. Children can begin the song about the butterfly by inserting their hand into the sock.

For the “chrysalis,” have them begin turning the sock inside out.

As the butterfly emerges, they stick their hand in the sock to reveal the butterfly.

Butterfly Bites

Children will enjoy assembling and eating this butterfly. You will need celery cut in 4” pieces, cream cheese, and pretzel twists. First, spread cream cheese in the hollow part of the celery. Insert two pretzels on either side for wings.

Hint! Make a language experience chart with these directions so children can make these at a center.