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BUTTERFLIES THEME

CRAFTS:

Butterfly Feet
Have children take off shoes, dip feet into shallow pan of pastel paint. Step onto a piece of paper so feet are going outward from the heels together. When dry, add antenna with markers.

Butterflies
Have the kids crumple up only the middle of the tissue paper and twist a pipe cleaner around the middle. Attach some yarn or fishing wire and hang from the ceiling or lights.

Butterflies
Materials: Construction paper, wrapping paper, or wallpaper scraps, Popsicle sticks or straws, Crayons, Scissors, Stapler or tape
Directions: Fold paper in half. Cut out butterfly wings; add about an extra inch where the body would be (on the fold). Be sure you don't cut the fold. Color as desired and glue a Popsicle stick where the body would be.

Baggie Butterflies
Fill the snack size Zip bags with scraps of tissue paper and cellophane and then gather them in the middle with a half of a chenille stem. Twist and bend the stem into antennae.

Cupcake Liner Butterflies
Flatten out cupcake liners and color with markers or crayons many different colors. Pinch liners in the center and wrap with pipe cleaners using the left over to make antennae.

Caterpillars
Cut egg cartons in half the long way. Have children use pipe cleaners for antennae, and add wiggly eyes. Use paints, markers, or crayons to decorate.

Caterpillars
Materials: Construction paper, Glue, Markers or crayons, Pipe cleaners
Directions: Cut out circles of colored construction paper. Glue circles together side by side slightly overlapping. Add legs and feelers from pipe cleaners. Draw on face.

Caterpillars
Set out various sizes of hearts cut from red, pink, black, and white construction paper, including some with the centers cut out. Let the children glue a number of hearts together in a row, with only the edges touching to make valenpillar bodies. Then let them glue on eyes and feelers from black construction paper.

Clothespin Butterfly
Materials: Tissue paper (5 inch square), Clothespin, Pipe cleaners, Markers
Directions: Make a butterfly by pinching opposite edges of tissue paper in the middle and inserting it in the clasp of the clothespin. Wind a piece of pipe cleaner around the top of the clothespin for antennae. Draw a face on the clothespin with a marker. You can add a magnet to the back too.

Coffee Filter Butterfly 
Take a cone shaped coffee filter and cut it apart. Have the children watercolor each side. Paint a clothespin black and then attach the two wings with it. Then add a pipe cleaner tied around the clothespin for the antennae.

Dot Butterfly
Materials: Construction paper, Paint, Q-tips, 
Directions: Cut out a large white butterfly. Glue a black strip of paper in the center on butterfly. Let children use a Q-tip to dip in paint and "dot" the butterfly wings with color.

Egg Carton Butterflies
Take egg cartons and cut them apart so that there are three bump sections. Cut a slit in each side of the middle section. On the front section draw a face; add a pipe cleaner for antennae. Cut heart shapes for wings. Let the children decorate the wings as they wish. Stick the point of the hearts into the slits to attach the wings. Add a string through the carton above the wings and hang.

Feet Butterflies
Materials: Construction paper, Paint, Glue, Markers or crayons
Directions: Have children take off shoes, dip feet into shallow pan of pastel paint. Step onto a piece of paper so feet are going outward from the heels together. When dry, add antennae with markers.

Inkblot Butterfly
Cut out a butterfly shape fold it in the center, have the children paint on side. Fold and rub lightly, then unfold. The sides will be identical.

Pom Pom Caterpillars
Materials: Pom poms, Glue, Markers or crayons, Pipe cleaners
Directions: Glue three middle size pom poms together. Glue on eyes and feelers. For fun you can put magnetic tape on back for magnet.

Stainglass Butterflies 
Shave old crayons and place between a sheet of waxed paper on newspaper. Cover with another piece of waxed paper. Press iron for a few seconds, cut into butterfly shape and hang in front of window.

Tissue Paper Butterflies 
Cut butterfly shapes from white construction paper. Set out assorted colors of 1-inch tissue paper squares, small containers of water and paint brushes. Have the children paint the butterfly shapes with water and place the tissue paper squares randomly on the shapes. Have them count to ten, then remove the wet tissue paper to view their colorful creations.

GAMES & ACTIVITIES:

Build a Butterfly Net
Ask each child to bring a wider close hanger.  Then this into a circle and straightened a look part.  Using household cheesecloth that's used for covering plants, cut into 12 foot pieces and stable one of the open end.  Take the other open and enfolded over the wire hanger loop.  You need to stapled this also.  He is a straight piece of branch that would be good for a handle.  Take this to the straightened hook part.

Can You Catch Me?
Take the children outside with the butterfly nets to an open field or park.  Let them try to catch some butterflies.  Some will probably catch moths be sure to have small plastic containers with holes in the lids with you.  Bring the butterflies and moths back to your meeting hall.  Compare the ones that were caught.  How were they alike?  How are they different?  After looking at them, have the children set them free back at the field or park.  Make sure the children noticed that a moth will close its wings while resting; a butterfly does not.  Also note the difference in the antenna.

Carlos the Caterpillar
Have children trace large circles on green paper. (The inside of a roll of masking tape makes an easily traceable shape.) The teacher numbers the circles 1,2,3,4 etc. so that the children can paste them in numerical order. The children then cut out circles and paste them together by overlapping slightly. Small strips of paper can be available for adding 'feet.' 
 

SONGS:

Little Butterfly
(sung to I'm A Little Teapot)
I'm a little butterfly
I have wings
I fly around
And see all things.
When I see a flower
That looks great
I call out
To all of my mates.
 

STORIES:

Have any good butterfly stories? Let us know!
 

FOOD SUGGESTIONS:

Have any good butterfly foods? Let us know!
 

TIPS/NOTES: