Toddler Activities: Butterfly Blanket

By: Deborah Pace Rowley

All you need is for this fun activity is a blanket. We added in the butterfly wings but they aren't necessary. Tell this simple story and help your toddler perform the corresponding actions. (Feel free to make this caterpillar a boy or a girl according to the sex of your child.)  This has been a favorite with all my children.  Trust me, you will get to repeat this again and again and you will be teaching a basic science lesson on metamorphosis at the same time! 

One day, a baby caterpillar was born. She yawned and she stretched. Then she realized that she was hungry. She started to crawl around on her leaf. She ate and she ate and she ate some more. (Have your toddler crawl around on the blanket and pretend to eat the edges.)

As the caterpillar ate, she began to grow bigger. Soon she was a big caterpillar and it was time for her to spin a cocoon. (Have your toddler lie down on one side of the blanket while you roll her up inside.)

When she was all snug and warm inside her cocoon, she went to sleep. The caterpillar slept and slept and slept. One spring day, the caterpillar woke up and she started to wiggle inside her cocoon. She wigged and wiggled so much that the cocoon broke open. (Have your toddler start to wiggle in the cocoon and then quickly unroll the blanket and help your child pop out.)

When the caterpillar popped out of the cocoon, she realized that she had grown wings. She was no longer a caterpillar, she was a beautiful butterfly. The butterfly flew around and around the garden. (Have your child flap her arms and fly around the room.) 

Repeat as often as desired!