If your preschoolers love wiggly worms, bright fruit, and hands-on fun, this Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar craft is about to become a classroom favorite.
Inspired by the beloved picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, this interactive craft lets children color their own caterpillar face, attach a movable mouth, and “feed” it a strip of food just like in the story.
And yes… it starts with 1 apple, 2 pears, 3 plums, and keeps going.
Learning disguised as snack time? We love to see it.
Why You’ll Love This Craft
✔ Low prep
✔ Black-and-white for easy printing
✔ Encourages hands-on learning
✔ Perfect for preschool, Pre-K, and kindergarten
✔ Great for homeschool, classroom centers, or story time
It transforms a simple worksheet into an interactive learning experience.
And children never get tired of feeding that smiling caterpillar.
What Is the Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar Craft?
This printable craft includes:
- A large caterpillar face to color(plus a colored version for ease of use)
- A separate mouth piece to attach (creating an opening)
- Printable food strips featuring increasing numbers of foods from the story
- Easy-to-cut pieces for little hands
Once assembled, children slide the food strip through the caterpillar’s mouth as they count the fruit. It turns story time into a hands-on math and fine motor activity.
It is part puppet, part counting tool, part storytelling magic.
Supplies You’ll Need
- Printable template (download below)
- Paper (I recommend using 100 lb. cardstock for durability if you are not going to laminate)
- Crayons or colored pencils
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Optional: laminator for added durability
If you plan to reuse this activity in centers, laminating the food strip makes it sturdy enough for little hands that feed with enthusiasm.
How to Make Your Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar Craft
Step 1: Color Your Caterpillar
Start by coloring the caterpillar face and mouth pieces. Encourage children to use bright, bold colors just like the illustrations in The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
This is a great time to talk about colors, patterns, and even emotions. Is your caterpillar cheerful? Silly? Extra hungry?
Step 2: Carefully Cut Out the Pieces
Next, cut out the caterpillar face, mouth piece, and food strip. Younger learners may need assistance with detailed areas, while older preschoolers can practice strengthening their scissor skills.
Taking time to cut carefully helps the final craft fit together smoothly.
Step 3: Cut an Opening in the Smiling Mouth
Using scissors or a craft knife (adult assistance recommended), carefully cut along the provided dashed line on the smiling caterpillar face to create an opening.
This opening is where the food strip will slide through, turning your craft into an interactive feeding activity.
Step 4: Attach the Mouth Flap on Top
Position the separate mouth piece on top of the smiling mouth area to create a flap. Secure it along the top edge only, using glue or tape, so the bottom edge can lift open.
When finished, the flap should open and close easily, allowing children to slide the food strip underneath and “feed” the caterpillar.
Once assembled, your caterpillar is ready to munch its way through apples, pears, plums, and more while your learners practice counting and story retelling.
How You Can Use This Craft
1. Counting Practice (1–10)
As children feed the caterpillar:
- Count each piece of fruit out loud
- Emphasize one-to-one correspondence
- Ask: “How many pears is that?”
You can pause after each number and predict what comes next.
2. Story Retelling Activity
After reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar, invite children to retell the story while feeding the caterpillar.
This builds:
- Sequencing skills
- Oral language development
- Story comprehension
For extra fun, let children act as the narrator while classmates “feed” the caterpillar.
3. Fine Motor Skill Practice
This craft strengthens:
- Scissor skills
- Coloring control
- Gluing and assembling
- Coordinating both hands to slide the strip
It is sneaky skill-building wrapped in bright fruit and a hungry grin.
4. Simple Math Extension
Want to extend learning?
Try:
- “What is 2 pears plus 1 apple?”
- Sorting fruits by type
- Comparing numbers (Which has more? Apples or plums?)
You can even create a second blank strip and let children draw their own food patterns.
Pair It With These Picture Books
To expand your lesson, add these caterpillar-themed favorites:
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle*
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle*
- Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
These books help children connect the craft to themes of growth, sequencing, and life cycles.
More Ways to Use This Craft
Because that big caterpillar mouth opens wide, you can also:
- Create CVC word strips to “feed” sight words
- Add skip counting strips
- Make a name recognition strip (feed the letters of a child’s name!)
- Practice color words by feeding colored circles
This printable can grow with your learners.
Perfect for These Themes
- Insect unit
- Spring activities
- Garden theme
- Letter C week
- Counting to 10
- Storybook crafts
It fits beautifully into literacy and math centers without feeling like “seatwork.”
More Printable Activities You’ll Love
If your little learners enjoyed feeding their caterpillar, here are more hands-on printable activities that pair perfectly with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and your spring lesson plans:
Pin This for Later
Save this Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar craft for:
- Spring lesson planning
- Read Across America week
- Preschool counting activities
- Homeschool morning basket
You will thank yourself when you need a quick, engaging activity that actually keeps little hands busy.
Get Your Free Printable Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar Craft
Ready to bring this interactive activity to life in your classroom or homeschool?
You can download your free Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar craft printable using the form below.
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Once downloaded, simply print, color, cut, assemble, and start feeding your hungry caterpillar during story time with The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
This hands-on activity makes counting practice feel like play while reinforcing early math and literacy skills.
Final Thoughts
There is something wonderful about watching children feed a paper caterpillar while counting fruit with serious concentration. It is learning in motion. It is storytelling with scissors. It is math wrapped in bright imagination.
If you are looking for a playful, low-prep way to extend The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this interactive craft is a sweet addition to your lesson plans.
Happy crafting and happy feeding!
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