Create this ‘Butterfly life cycle’, using dried pasta* 

Instructions:

1. First cut out 4 branch shapes.

2. Next cut out 4 leaf shapes.

3. Add some scrunched white tissue paper to a leaf to look like little eggs.

4. All pasta shapes can be painted to look like a caterpillar, a chrysalis and a butterfly.

5. Stick a fusilli (twisted tube-shaped) pasta to one leaf to look like a caterpillar.

6. Stick a conchiglie (shell-shaped) pasta to another leaf to look like a chrysalis.

7. Stick a farfalle (butterfly-shaped) pasta to another leaf for the final stage of the butterfly life cycle.

8. Finally, stick the four stages in order onto the SCARF template.

*Please substitute pasta with paper crafts and pompoms where a child in the class has a wheat allergy.

You will need:

Brown paper/ or white paper coloured like a branch. 4 x cut out leaves, white tissue paper, fusilli pasta*, conchiglie pasta*, farfalle pasta*, glue, SCARF template.

See template here.

‘Grow your own caterpillar’ - planting grass seeds.

Instructions:

1. First mix a bowl of soil with some grass seed.

2. Then cut a length of about 32 cm from the tights.

3. Knot one end and then fill with soil.

4. Knot the other end to ensure the soil doesn’t fall out.

5. Make the body shape of the caterpillar by wrapping elastic bands around the length at roughly 8 cm intervals.

6. Glue on googly eyes and push in pipe cleaner antennae.

7. Finally, place in a tray of shallow water.

8. Wait and watch your caterpillar grow its grass hair!

You will need:

A section of denier tights, grass seed, soil, elastic bands, pipe cleaners, googly eyes, scissors, glue and a tray to lay your caterpillars into.

Outdoor piece of art in the style of Andy Goldsworthy

Thinking about the part of the book that reads, ‘When I grow up, I will be tall enough to reach the branches that I have to reach to climb the trees you get to climb when you’re grown up…’ children can enjoy collecting twigs and leaves and then create an outdoor tree collage.

Some Andy Goldsworthy art for inspiration.

Click for bigger picture.

‘When I grow up’ writing

Enjoy a circle time session, talking about the types of jobs our family and friends have. Focus your circle time on thinking about what the children would like to be when they grow up - and why.

Nothing is needed for this activity, but you could use this specially-created writing template for a follow-up writing activity.

See template here.