• About
  • Shop
  • Work with Me
    • Guest Post on Views!
    • Policies and Disclosure
    • Sponsored Work
  • Tri-State Family Fun
  • The Mommy View
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Views From a Step Stool

Open Minds & Messy Hands

  • Home
  • Learn Through Play
    • Fine Motor Activities
    • Arts & Crafts
      • Toddler Arts & Crafts
      • Preschool Arts& Crafts
    • Sensory
      • Ultimate Collection of Sensory Bins for Kids
      • Toddler Sensory Play
      • Preschool/Early Elementary Sensory Play
      • Mess-Free Sensory Play
    • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
      • Indoor and Outdoor STEM Challenges for Kids
    • Babies
      • 60+ Awesome Activities for 1 Year Olds! {Tested and Loved}
    • Toddlers
      • Activities for 2 Year Olds
    • Preschoolers
      • Activities for 3 Year Olds
      • 65+ Fun Activities for 4 Year Olds
    • Elementary
      • 55+ Activities for 5 Year Olds
    • Want to Teach Your Kids Through Play?
  • Holidays
    • Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
      • Free Printable Valentines Cards
    • St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Kids
    • Easter Activities for Kids
    • Memorial Day/4th of July
    • Halloween Activities for Kids
      • Monster Activities for Kids
      • Pumpkin Activities for Kids: Crafts, Science and Sensory Play
    • Thanksgiving Crafts,Sensory Play and Printables for Toddlers and Up
      • Pumpkin Activities for Kids: Crafts, Science and Sensory Play
    • Christmas
      • 30+ Christmas Activities for 1 and 2 Year Olds
      • Christmas Printables for Kids
      • Ornament Crafts for Kids
    • New Years
  • Seasons
    • Spring Activities for Kids
      • March Activities for Kids
      • St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Kids
      • Easter Activities for Kids
    • Summer Activities for Kids
      • 4th of July Activities for Kids
    • Tons of Fall Kids Activities for All Ages
      • Fall Printables for Kids
      • Apple Themed Kids Activities
      • Apple Crafts for Kids
      • Pumpkin Activities for Kids: Crafts, Science and Sensory Play
    • Winter
      • Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
      • February Activities for Toddlers
  • Sensory Bins
  • Printables
    • Seasonal Printables for Kids
      • Spring Printables for Kids
      • Summer Printables for Kids
      • Fall Printables for Kids
      • Winter Printables for Kids
    • Holiday Printables for Kids
      • Valentine’s Day Printables for Kids
        • Free Printable Valentines Cards
      • St. Patrick’s Day Printables for Kids
      • Easter Printables for Kids
      • 4th of July Printables for Kids
      • Halloween Printables for Kids
      • Thanksgiving Printables for Kids
      • Christmas Printables for Kids
    • Free Printable Board Games for Kids
      • Printable Camping Games for Kids
    • Printable Bookmarks for Kids
    • Free Printable Playdough Mats for Kids
    • Book Lists
    • Printable Lego Challenges for Kids
  • Exclusive Content for Subscribers

Raising Butterflies with Kids: Setting Up an Observation Station

March 30, 2014 By Katie Chiavarone Leave a Comment

Sharing is caring!

133shares
  • Facebook77
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Pinterest56

Raising butterflies with kids is such a fun Spring activity to do at home or in the classroom. Here are some fun ways to set up a butterfly observation zone.


One of our very favorite Spring activities is raising butterflies and setting up an observation station at home to witness the metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly. There are a few different tools and resources that make this an easy setup that provides tons of fun and learning for kids.

 

*This post contains affiliate links.

Raising Butterflies with an Observation Station

I am so happy with how our first major project for raising butterflies turned out! To witness the transformations that occur in the butterfly life cycle, we set up an area in our house where we could become scientists, exploring the shape, size and texture of the coolest larva around 🙂

We name this designated area in our house our Butterfly Observation Station, a fun name for toddlers and preschoolers! 

What you need to observe the butterfly life cycle:

Live caterpillars  – we order these each year from Insect Lore, they even have a fun Very Hungry Caterpillar set if you like!

Small table

Poster board

Ruler

Magnifying glass

Pencils/Markers

Butterfly life cycle figurines

Round tray or plate

Butterfly observation booklet – free on Teachers Pay Teachers

Setting Up the Observation Station

Designate a space on your table for all of your tools and resources while raising butterflies with kids. We write the words ‘Butterfly Observation Station’ on the poser board and taped some great printables and a song from Teachers Pay Teachers as well. We can’t wait to watch them grow and become chrysalises!

In a small container were the life cycle figurines, another container help pencils, a ruler and a magnifying glass, and the booklet was left on the table for recording observations. 

 
The area in also where the jar of caterpillars will live while we are observing them as they prepare for their transformation, the best part of raising butterflies.

 

What should I observe in the butterfly life cycle?

The beginning on the life cycle starts with the egg, however, when you receive your jar of caterpillars they will already be hatched and ready to watch grow.

Each day, your child can observe the growth that has occurred by measuring and recording the length as they crawl along the side of the jar. 

You can also observe how they eat the food on the bottom of the jar, it’s difficult to see in ‘real-time’ but with each passing day you might see how more of the food is gone, and the caterpillars are larger. A caterpillars main job is to eat, and eat, and eat! 

Watch as they create their chrysalis, and then emerge as beautiful butterflies!

How can I encourage play in the observation station while raising butterflies? 

Since most of the observing of the caterpillars is done through sight and takes weeks, children will be eager to find a hands-on way of exploring that which they are witnessing. 

The life cycle figurines are great for demonstrating and understanding the sequence of the butterfly life cycle. On a round tray, tape the numbers 1-4 and show children how they can place the toys in sequential order according to the butterfly life cycle on the tray.

These also make a great addition to a butterfly life cycle sensory bin which you can make with colored pasta. This pasta can be used in crafting and play!

We have also made our own set of butterfly life cycle toys from a recycled egg carton that children can play with while observing their caterpillar growth as well. 

 Use the butterfly observation journal found for free on Teachers pay Teachers to record the observations that you see in shape and size as your caterpillars grow. This is a really fun way to incorporate some math and counting into this process.
 
In the book are pages for daily observations. We will be looking at how big they are by measuring them with a ruler, what color they are, what their texture is and if there are any other noticeable changes within the habitat.
 
There is also space for children to cut out a picture of the stage of the life cycle and glue it to the page. Children typically love cutting and gluing so this makes for added fun and practice with these fine motor skills. 
 

When should I release my butterflies?

You have observed and appreciated the metamorphosis of watching your caterpillar turn into a butterfly, and now it’s time to watch them fly! This is an exciting day, but there are a few things you need to know when planning their release. 

Butterflies are cold blooded and must warm their muscles before flying. Release your butterflies on a warm day, 55 degrees or higher, and allow them to warm up their muscles by keeping their enclosure outside in a sunny spot to warm up, while keeping them safe from predators. 

We love to make butterfly feeders and plant flowers that our butterflies like, with the hope that they will stick around and visit us 🙂

Butterfly Life Cycle Books for Kids

Place a basket of books about butterflies in the observation station as well for even more learning and fun. Some of our favorites are:  The Very Hungry Caterpillar,  From Caterpillar to Butterfly, and The Life Cycle of a Butterfly.


  • These homemade Earth Day cookies are SO easy to make! Check out just how simple they are!
 

Sharing is caring!

133shares
  • Facebook77
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Pinterest56

Filed Under: science, Uncategorized Tagged With: Preschool Homeschool

Butterfly Life Cycle Exploration
Edible Sensory Play for Toddlers and Babies: Rainbow Pasta

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Views From a Step Stool!

Welcome to Views From a Step Stool!

I am a mom to three little ones and love to create and explore every day with them! We have open minds and messy hands, come join in our adventures!

Search the Site

What’s New

  • Summer Olympics Bingo Game Printable
  • Constellations for Kids: Constellation Coloring Pages, Flashcards and Science Experiment Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Printable Favor Toppers
  • Drawing Garden Game to Print for Kids: Roll and Draw!
  • Printable Valentine’s Day Lunchbox Jokes

What’s New:

  • Summer Olympics Bingo Game Printable
  • Constellations for Kids: Constellation Coloring Pages, Flashcards and Science Experiment Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt Printable
  • St. Patrick’s Day Printable Favor Toppers
  • Drawing Garden Game to Print for Kids: Roll and Draw!
  • Printable Valentine’s Day Lunchbox Jokes
  • Valentine’s Day Color by Number Printables
  • Pin the Carrot on the Snowman Printable Game
  • Printable Christmas Puzzles for Toddlers
  • Christmas Tic Tac Toe Printable Game
  • Christmas Charades Printable Game
  • Printable Coffee Gift Card Holder for Christmas
  • The Gift of Christmas Printable Board Game
  • Christmas Countdown Printable
  • Santa Says Printable Christmas Game
  • Christmas Tree I Spy Printable for Kids
  • Thanksgiving Picture Charades Printable Game for Young Kids
  • Christmas Countdown Dollar Store Craft
  • Roll a Gingerbread Man Christmas Board Game
  • Winter Color by Number Printables

Copyright © 2023 · Hello Sweets by Hello You Designs

Copyright © 2023 · Hello Sweets On Genesis Framework