Caterpillar Power

"Is a caterpillar ticklish?

Well, it's always my belief

That he giggles as he wiggles

Across a hairy leaf."

Monica Shannon

We are learning about butterflies this week. And what better way to learn than to watch caterpillars eat, grow, form their chrysalises and then enter the world as a new winged creature? It is beyond amazing.

Today, our first butterfly "hatched" and we were excited.
We watched it dry its wings, lose a bit of meconium, and try to fly for the first time! Peter talked to it.
"Hey butterfly...you should fly now...go sit on those flowers we bought for you and drink the sugar water."

Now there are three butterflies. And two still in their chrysalises.

We should probably name them.

I highly recommend the butterfly kit with live caterpillars from Insect Lore.
Easy to read instructions with everything the caterpillars need right in the little bucket.

See how fun it is to learn about butterflies? 

We're singing songs about metamorphosis, reading books about caterpillars, watching educational videos on YouTube. 

Preschool style.

We have listened to this inspirational story two or three times now. 

And we're probably going to make a butterfly mask next week.

And I may have wasted half a roll of toilet paper, giving this guy a chrysalis experience. 

He said it wasn't scary. But he didn't feel sleepy. He just wanted out. *one more picture dude*