Butterfly Craft & Song (Waiting For Wings -- Lois Ehlert)

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Butterfly books, butterfly crafts, and butterfly songs are some of our preschoolers favorite things!




This year I will be joining a fabulous group of bloggers in a Virtual Book Club for Kids!  I am so excited!  We already loved the time we spent with Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert...today I'm sharing the butterfly craft and caterpillar song we did, as well as a few other Lois Ehlert resources!


First of all, the butterfly craft.  This project is so simple a toddler can enjoy it and still layered enough to create a challenge for preschoolers and older children.

Simple Supplies:  

** Pipe-cleaners, cut in half
** Coffee filters
** Water-based markers (I recommend Crayola's Washable Markers)
** A spray bottle with water in it
** Paper towels (to help clean/contain the mess) 

Easy How-To:



1.  Let your child color on the coffee filter with the markers.  


2.  Let your child spray her butterfly to make the colors move.  Do this over a sink, outdoors, or close to paper towels because it does drip.

Older children can talk about chromatography and how the colors move through the coffee filter.


3.  Let the coffee filter dry.  I sped this up using a hair dryer.


4.  Help your child pinch the middle of the coffee filter together and wrap the pipe-cleaner around it to shape the butterfly and add antennae.  Ta da!  Your butterfly craft is done!

5.  Zoom, Zoom!  Watch your butterfly fly!




UPDATE: My newest preschooler LOVES making these and my son thought of a way to make them fly!  The kids had a blast shooting their butterflies all over the house this week!  You can see the video here!


And then, of course, sing the caterpillar song:


(to the tune of Eensy Weensy Spider)


The eensy weensy caterpillar climbed up on a leaf.
     (use finger to inch along like a caterpillar)
He spun a cocoon and then he went to sleep.
     (spin hands around each other and lay head down)
While he was sleeping he dreamed that he could fly.
     (wave hands like wings)
When he awoke (pause!) he was a butterfly!
     (use hands to make a butterfly)

source: unknown


And last, but not least, here's a few links about Lois Ehlert:


Do you have a favorite Lois Ehlert book?  Do you want to join in the Virtual Book Club fun?  Check out the Facebook page here or visit Toddler Approved here for an overview of the upcoming year!



 UPDATE:  Learn about butterflies coming out of their chrysalis here and learn more butterfly songs here!



I may share at any of these parties!

Comments

Lauren said…
Super cute! We love butterflies! Thank you for sharing at our Pinteresting Party!
September 16, 2012 at 9:34 PM
Carolyn said…
Cute coffee filter butterflies
September 17, 2012 at 7:29 PM
Carla at Preschool Powol Packets said…
Thanks, Tutus! We love butterflies too!

Thanks, Carolyn!
September 17, 2012 at 8:01 PM
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