menu
Educatall
Search
Advertising

Pre-K activities, learning games, crafts, and printables


Advertising


Butterflies - Babies and toddlers - Educatall

Butterflies

Activities for toddlers and babies


AREA SETUP

Display pictures of butterflies on the walls of your daycare.

 

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

 

Butterflies everywhere
To present your theme, print and laminate several butterfly pictures or illustrations. You will find pretty butterfly printables in the educatall club. Hide butterflies throughout your daycare: between the pages of the books that are available in your reading corner, inside a puppet, in a child's shoe, etc. During the day, children will find the butterflies during periods of free play and routines. Use their discoveries to talk about butterflies.

 

SENSORY ACTIVITIES (look)

 

Butterfly box
Print and laminate several butterfly illustrations (reuse the ones printed for the above activity). You will also need a box with a lid. Cut a slit in the top of the box and an opening on the side. Look at the pictures with your group. Show children how they can insert them in the slit on the top of the box and then use the opening to retrieve them so they can repeat the activity.


SENSORY ACTIVITIES (touch and look)

 

Butterfly facecloths
This idea is perfect for lunch or snack time. Before washing children's hands and face, use facecloths to represent butterflies. Simply place each facecloth flat on the table and pinch them in the centre to create two wing-like shapes. Let babies and toddlers manipulate the butterfly-facecloths.

 

ARTS & CRAFTS

 

Our collective caterpillar
Explain how caterpillars transform to become butterflies as you create a caterpillar with your group. Cut large circles out of construction paper. Encourage babies and toddlers to draw on the circles and decorate them as they see fit. Draw a caterpillar face on one circle. Glue the circles one behind the other on a wall to represent a caterpillar body. Add the head at one end. Variation: Use paper plates instead of construction paper circles.

 

Let's create butterflies
Give each child an empty toilet paper roll and encourage them to decorate it as they wish. The toilet paper rolls will represent butterfly bodies. Cut butterfly wings out of construction paper and invite children to stick them on either side of their toilet paper roll.

 

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

 

Flower garden
Outside, plant colourful flowers with your group and explain how butterflies are attracted to bright colors. Visit your local library to discover which plants butterflies are most attracted to or, if you prefer, use the Internet.

 

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

 

Oversized butterfly puzzle
Cut a giant butterfly shape out of cardboard. Cut it into pieces to create a puzzle. For example, you could cut the head, two wings, and a body. Let babies and toddlers draw on the butterfly parts. With your group, assemble the butterfly like a puzzle. If you wish, display your completed puzzle on a wall within your daycare. You will find a giant butterfly that you can print in the educatall club.

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

 

Fly like a butterfly
With your group, observe a butterfly in your yard. If you aren't lucky enough to see an actual butterfly, you can easily find a video to watch on the Internet. Encourage older toddlers to move around the daycare or yard, flapping their arms like a butterfly.


LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

 

Butterfly colors
Observe butterflies you see in your yard, in a picture book, or on a poster and name the colors with the children in your group.

 

Chantal Millette
Early childhood educator


Educatall.com is not responsible for the content of this article. The information mentioned in this article is the responsibility of the author. Educatall.com shall not be held responsible for any litigation or issues resulting from this article.

 

Pub bottom page theme


Advertising



Advertising
Back to Top