Kindergarten students can build butterflies by using recycled egg cartons, paper printed with butterfly wing outlines, glue, pipe cleaners, and crayons or markers. This is a fun craft project for children and it can be used to teach them parts of the butterfly. Cut egg cartons into groupings of three empty spaces before distributing to the students. These serve as the butterfly bodies. Students can practice their art skills as they color and decorate the bodies and the wings. Have students assemble the butterflies together when everyone is done decorating the body parts.
"The Very Hungry Caterpillar," by Eric Carle, is a children's book packed with colorful illustrations that show a caterpillar's journey to becoming a butterfly. Not only does this book demonstrate the life cycle from caterpillar to butterfly, it teaches children how to count, and tells the days of the week. Reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" aloud to kindergartners can also springboard into a math lesson if you create addition and subtraction lessons based on the fruits listed in the book.
Bring students on a nature walk during the spring, and provide each student with a box of crayons and a small notebook. Instruct students to observe caterpillars and butterflies that they see, making sure they do not touch them, and then have them draw the butterflies. A nature walk provides the children with exercise, an opportunity to teach a lesson in learning colors, and an art project.
Learning and singing songs about butterflies will help students understand the actions of the insects, practice memorization skills, and exercise, if dance is incorporated. Students can be divided into groups and asked to create skits that revolve around the music, using interpretive dance to mimic the actions of butterflies, or the butterfly life cycle. Use songs sung to familiar tunes, such as "The Life of a Butterfly" sung to the tune of "Skip to my Lou."