Transform egg cartons into caterpillars, by cutting them in half. Ask the children to paint and decorate them. Give a brown paper bag to each child, and ask them to put the caterpillar inside it. Close the cocoon paper bag with a string and hang in the room. Cut butterfly wings out of paper and give a pair to each child to decorate with paint and glitter. Tell the children that in the real world, caterpillars become butterflies when inside the cocoon. Once the wings are dry, glue them to each caterpillar, when the children are not around. Later, ask them to open the cocoon to see the transformation.
An empty toilet paper roll can become a cocoon for a paper butterfly. Wrap leftover yarn around the roll, covering it completely, but leaving one end open. Draw a butterfly on a piece of colorful paper and cut decorative shapes out of the wings. Alternatively, use colorful tissue paper folded up to create the wings and a piece of cardboard to make the butterfly’s body. Attach the butterfly to the roll with thread or yarn before putting it into the roll cocoon.
Blow up a small balloon and tie it off. Use newspaper, old magazines or colorful paper to cut off squares, which you will glue onto the balloon, covering it completely. Leave it to dry and repeat the operation, creating another two layers of paper on the balloon. Allow it to dry overnight. Paint the balloon and allow it to dry. Then, remove the balloon by making a small hole with a pin, close to the knot. The empty balloon will pull away from the paper, and you will have a cocoon to put your crafted butterfly.
Cover the children's palms with paint. Ask then to stamp their hands on a piece of brown paper. Leave them to dry and cut them off. Every print will be a butterfly's wing, which the children attach to a craft stick. Cut off the bottom of a plastic bottle. Make a small hole on the bottle's cap, and pass a thread through it. Tie the butterfly to the other end of the thread, and pull it up to hide the butterfly in the bottle cocoon. Hang the bottles around the room.