Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

• Empty, cardboard dozen egg cartons, pipe cleaners and a pencil, and markers or crayons
• Optional: Googly eyes and glue
• Optional: Coffee filters, and watercolor paints and brushes

Preparation for Activity

• Cut the egg cartons in half, the long way. You will need a six-section strip for each child.
• Set out markers, crayons (or paint)
• Optional: Watch a video that demonstrates how to make an egg carton caterpillar.
• Optional: Go to the Kinderart website for instructions for making coffee filter butterflies.

Description of Activity

Children create a caterpillar to take home.

Give each child a half of an egg carton (six sections, attached in a line). Have the children use crayons or makers to color the outside. When the caterpillar is ready for its antennae, an adult should poke two holes in the "head" section and help the child thread the pipe cleaner through the holes to create antennae. Then, pipe cleaners can be curled around a pencil. Children can either draw eyes or glue on "googly eyes."

Optional: Invite and help the children to make coffee filter butterflies.