Egg Carton Caterpillar

[15 Minutes]

Recycle your egg cartons. By adding a bit of paint, your child will have caterpillars "crawling" all over your house.

You'll need:

• cardboard egg carton • pipe cleaner • paint • small brush • markers or crayons • scissors (ADULT USE ONLY) • tape

What to do:

1. Cut the egg carton bottom in half lengthwise. This will become the caterpillar's body.
2. Invite your child to use a pipe cleaner folded in half for antennae. Decide which end of the carton will be the head and help her tape it on.
3. Encourage your child to use paint, markers, or crayons to decorate the caterpillar's face and body with patterns and designs.

How to use:

1. Your child can use the egg carton caterpillar to act out the life cycle of the caterpillar/chrysalis/butterfly.
2. A paper lunch bag can be used as a chrysalis. Add tissue paper wings held in place by a pipe cleaner when the caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• Talk about where your child has seen caterpillars and butterflies. What did they look like?
• What were they doing?
• What do caterpillars eat?
• What eats caterpillars?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, this activity helps your child develop eye/hand coordination, language skills and science skills.