Maths Through Story
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
(By: Eric Carle)
By: Moira Collett
Number: the language of sequence
Lots of fun can be had indoors in the very hot weather by using ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, a story which is a great
favourite of all children. It offers opportunities to do some sequencing and encourages good habits for memory and
anticipation. The book itself can be made into sequencing cards but there are many other sequencing activities which
can be done using this story.
Key Vocabulary
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Big, up, on, through, tiny, little, small, inside, numbers.
What do I need?
The book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’
Fruit and other food for counting – can be real, plastic or even pictures
A few simple puppets for the caterpillar, pupa and butterfly
What you do
1. Collect the props and the story. Some simple finger puppet caterpillars can be made from glove fingers or
felt so that all children can join in
2. Read through the story to the end
3. Start again and read the story with the finger puppets/props
4. Always pause and ask the children to predict what will come next
5. Put out the food props and let the children select what comes next
6. Talk about the sequence of the life of the caterpillar from egg to butterfly
7. Let the children make masks to act out the story. These can be made from fabric, paper, etc
8. Do some role play/dance about the caterpillar hatching from an egg and getting bigger and bigger,
spinning and eventually becoming a beautiful butterfly and fluttering away
9. Make some butterfly paintings/make a zigzag book
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