If you’re in search of a craft, with both a literature and math component, this one is perfect! After reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar
I was first introduced to this craft when I was planning a Very Hungry Caterpillar themed birthday for my Lucy’s 3rd birthday. I was in search of a craft the kids could do at the party. Luckily, having previously been a Kindergarten teacher, I have tons of teachers as my best friends! They are always full of fun and creative ideas on any topic. And, as usual, the teacher best friends had the perfect idea- A Very Hungry Caterpillar Necklace!
This craft was very easy to prepare, and once your kids are old enough to handle scissors, they can do most of the work on their own! The best part of the craft is it allows your child space for creativity while also working on patterning skills. 
Lucy couldn’t stop finding simple patterns everywhere around the house after doing this craft!
This craft would be perfect for just one child, but also easy to produce in mass for a large group of children~ a project for your child’s class or playgroup activity. (When I do large groups, I sometimes find it helps with the management of the activity if I place all the materials each child will need in their own little baggie.) Hope you enjoy making it!
Materials:
For dying the pasta:
- cylinder shaped pasta (rigatoni works best)
- rubbing alcohol
- green food coloring
- large baggie or bowl
- cookie sheet and newspaper
For the caterpillar necklace:
- red, yellow, and green construction paper
- yarn or string
- glue
- hole punch
Directions for dying pasta:
- First you need to dye the pasta and let it dry. I always love this step, and the kids enjoy helping with it!
- I like to dye my pasta in a large baggie, but you could use a large bowl instead. Put your dry pasta in the bag. Add about 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol to the bag and a few drops of the green food coloring. Seal the bag and mix it all up by squeezing the bag all around. (The kids love this part!) Let it sit for about 15 minutes (continue to mix it around occasionally during the 15 minutes).
- Line your cookie sheet with newspaper. Pour the dyed pasta on the newspaper and spread it all out in one even layer. Let it dry completely.
Directions for making the caterpillar necklace:
- Cut out red paper circles about 1 inch in diameter. Punch a single hole in each one. (We use a hole punchers that the kids were able to do themselves.)
- Make the caterpillar’s head. (You can be as simple or fancy with this as you want!) We tried to make it look similar to the one in the book. We cut out construction paper face and glued on some eyes and antennae. Punch a hole in the face.
3. Now it’s time to assemble the necklace! Cut your piece of string or yarn to the size you’d like for your child. (I usually go a little longer than I think~ you can always cut it off later!)
4. Place some tape at one end of the yarn or string to make it easy for threading.
5. Have you child first thread a green pasta onto the thread. Next they add one red circle, then green pasta etc. forming a pattern.
6. When your child is happy with his or her caterpillar length, add the caterpillar head.
7. Tie the string together to form a necklace. (Cut off the tape).
8. Wear your necklace proudly!
There’s no need to leave out the little ones either. While we were busy making our necklaces, Theo practiced those fine motor skills of his by putting pasta on pipe cleaners.
Here’s a few more pictures from her birthday party (almost 2 years ago) in case you are ever planning on a similar theme (and because I just love looking at old pictures of my kids!) I had also made her shirt, the gift bags, and even the hats! I wish I had taken more pictures back then.
Chelsey~ Buggy and Buddy
Chelsey was previously an elementary teacher for 12 years and is now creating, playing, and learning at home with her two children. You can follow Buggy and Buddy on Twitter or Facebook by clicking on the icons below.
This is so cute, and I love the incorporation of patterning and fine motor practice. We’ll definitely work this into our spring theme or bug studies.
Fabulous! I’m pinning this for when I have a Very Hungry Caterpillar party at the library. It’s one of my favorite books!
love this, my son is beside me and said we should try that:-)
We love the Hungry little caterpillar -just pinned it! SO cute
Thank you! I don’t think Lucy ever really gets tired of it! I think we have a caterpillar necklace collection going on now!
Okay that is just very clever and cute! Thanks for sharing on We Made That!
Hello, popping over from the GGIF linky. This is a great idea. We’re donig Eric carle over the summer, so I’m gonna steal this idea!!
Yay! I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!
This is brilliant and perfect with World book Day coming up. Off to pin. Thanks for sharing.
This is one of my favourite stories to use with the children I work with. Definately have to use this as a follow up activity – just brilliant! Have shared too.
Thank you so much x x
Such a cute idea! thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
This is pretty cool! I like it a lot!!
Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
So cute! I love the hungry caterpillar. Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library.
Wanted to let you know I will be featuring this on Mom’s Library! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Ashley!
This is adorable! I am sharing it on our FB page!!
Thank you!!
[...] The Very Hungry Caterpillar Necklace [...]
Oh, this is just adorable! What a great idea, and perfect for the little kids! I am featuring this craft at the next For the Kids Friday link party over at SunScholars! Thanks for sharing with us, and I look forward to seeing more of your fun ideas!
[...] The Very Hungary Caterpillar Necklace Craft from Buggy and Buddy [...]
wowwwwwwww… I love this idea!!! thank you very much!!!
This is such a cute & clever craft! LOVE it! I featured it this week at TGIF here: http://livinglifeintentionally.blogspot.com/2013/02/tgif-linky-party-64.html – Feel free to grab an I was featured button if you like.
Thanks for linking up and sharing your creativity with all of us! Hope to see you linked up again today.
Have a great weekend,
Beth =-)
This is so cute!! I love it! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
Love this! Thanks for sharing!!
I would like to invite you to my linky party Thrifty Thursday!
appleofmamaseye.blogspot.com
Hope to see you there!
-Lindsey
Super-cute! I love the hungry caterpillar!:)
What a fantastic project. Pinned it. I’ll be featuring some of my favorite Hungry Caterpillar projects soon on my link party and this would be a great addition
Great project, we are working on the letter C this week so might just have to make some pasta caterpillars!
this is SO cute! I am doing a hungry caterpillar round-up post tomorrow & will be sharing your post there. Thanks for a great idea!
teachbesideme.com
Thank you, Karyn! Can’t wait to see your roundup!
[...] Most Clicked– The Very Hungry Caterpillar Necklace Craft (Buggy and Buddy) I adore this necklace created to go along with the Eric Carle storybook The [...]
Thanks for sharing! I just did The Very Hungry Caterpillar story and the class loved it… I’ve made different crafts in the past for this story, but not this one. I will definitely use this during our insect study week.
I hope your class enjoys it! I always loved seeing my students walking around with their necklaces on all day. Too cute!
[...] Caterpillar Necklace @ buggyandbuddy.com [...]
I’m the Editorial Assistant for Fun Family Crafts and I wanted to let you know that we have featured your necklace! You can see it here:
http://funfamilycrafts.com/very-hungry-caterpillar-necklace/
If you have other kid friendly crafts, we’d love it if you would submit them. If you would like to display a featured button on your site, you can grab one from the right side bar of your post above. Thanks for a wonderful project idea!