Caterpillar to Butterfly

I have always been awed by the symbolism of the caterpillar turning into a butterfly and Jesus being in the tomb and rising again. If your child is familiar with the The Very Hungry Caterpillar book, they will remember that a caterpillar eats, and eats, and eats. Then, and only God can explain this, the caterpillar begins to create a cocoon around itself. Depending on the species, a few days or weeks later, it emerges as a butterfly.

Use this example to explain Jesus' resurrection to your child. This example can also be used to explain life without Christ and then having a new life once a person has accepted Jesus as their personal Savior.

Coffee Filter Butterfly

Draw on the coffee filter with washable markers. Using a water bottle, squirt water on the coffee filter.  Watch the colors run together.  Allow to dry.  Scrunch up the middle of the coffee filter and wrap with a pipecleaner to look like antennae.  Spread the wings out.

Handprint Butterfly

Paint the palms of the child's hands.  On a piece of construction paper, stamp the hands down (thumbs down, fingers pointing in opposite directions, handprints touching).  Clean off both hands.  Painting only the index finger black, stamp down the center of the handprints to make the butterfly's body.  Add googly eyes and two antennas.    Add the title "Jesus is Alive!"

Butterfly Footprint

Paint the bottom of the child's foot.  Press the feet down on paper with the left foot on the right side and the right foot on the left side.  Leave a little space in between for the butterfly's body.    idea by Crystal

ABC Butterfly

Print the ABC Butterfly. Have the child write:  
Admit – I sin.    
Believe – Jesus died for me.    
Choose – I need God. 

Cut out the butterfly pieces.  Glue the pieces together on a piece of construction paper.  Decorate.

Mirror Paint Butterfly

Print the Butterfly printable.  Fold the paper in half and open back up.  Drop paint around the fold line.  Fold one side onto the other.  Gently push the paint around to cover both sides of the butterfly. Carefully open the butterfly to see a mirror image.

Roll-a-Butterfly Game

Roll-a-Picture are fun games to play to incorporate fine motor skills, visual perception skills, taking turns, and family time!  Think Cootie with a pencil.  Several options are available to get you started!

Egg Carton Caterpillar

Cut a paper egg carton to make a single line of containers.  Turn upside down and paint each container.  Add black pipecleaners for antennae, a mouth, and googly eyes.  (To use with the Wordless Book theme, paint the caterpillar black, red, white, gold, and green.)

Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden

While I have never personally done one of these kits, the ratings are wonderful and have friends who have.  Tie the activity to Easter.

Clothes Pin Caterpillar

Glue on a clothes pin colored pom poms.  Add googly eyes.  Put the clothes pin caterpillar inside a toilet roll and talked about how Jesus was put inside the tomb.  (To use with the Wordless Book theme, use colors black, red, white, gold, and green.)

Hermie: A Common Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar