Caterpillar and Butterfly Finger Play Songs

It’s spring in the northern hemisphere and that means it’s time for caterpillars and butterflies!   My former students and own kids love to sing and act out caterpillar and butterfly themed preschool songs, they are perfect for circle time at school or play time at home.

Caterpillar and Butterfly Songs for Preschool

 

Where Did My Caterpillar Go? Finger Play Song

by Megan Sheakoski

(Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

Where, oh where, did my caterpillar go?

Caterpillar go, caterpillar go?

Where, of where, did my caterpillar go?

Oh look! It’s a butterfly!

As the students sing the beginning lines of the song they cup their hands around their eyes as if they were looking for something. When they sing the last line of the song they point their fingers up to the sky at the pretend butterfly.

Caterpillar and Butterfly Hand Motion Song

by Megan Sheakoski

(Sung to the tune of Are You Sleeping?)

Caterpillar, caterpillar,

In my hand, in my hand,

Soon you’ll be a butterfly.

Soon you’ll be a butterfly.

And fly away. Fly away.

The kids cup their hands and swing them gently back and forth in front of their bodies while singing about the caterpillar. They hook their thumbs and flutter their fingers like wings during the third and fourth line and then move their butterfly fingers up into the air for the last line.

Caterpillar Life Cycle Song

by Megan Sheakoski

(Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

A caterpillar has 12 eyes

Has 12 eyes, has 12 eyes,

A caterpillar has 12 eyes

So that he can see!

A caterpillar chews on leaves

Chews on leaves, chews on leaves,

A caterpillar chews on leaves

To get some energy!

Now he rests in a chrysalis

A chrysalis, a chrysalis,

Now he rests in a chrysalis

And becomes a butterfly!

Singing and acting out finger play songs is a great learning activity for kids. Preschoolers and toddlers can practice following directions, using memory skills, and learn about the life cycle of a caterpillar while singing and having fun.

If you are studying about the caterpillars and butterflies you may want to make our 12 eyed caterpillar puppet to go with the life cycle song!

Linking to:

 

Edventures with Kids

Caterpillar Puppet and Song

We have been caterpillar and butterfly obsessed around here!  We ordered caterpillars from Insect Lore and have loved watching the the caterpillar life cycle in action.  We have lots of caterpillar books, but the favorite this year is A Caterpillar Grows Up by Melvin and Gilda Berger.

They love the photos and one of their favorite facts is that caterpillars have 12 eyes.  So when we were making our caterpillar puppet the first thing we added were the eyes.  We couldn’t find any googly eyes so decided to use 12 buttons instead.

Then the kids practiced their cutting skills and made some leaves for the caterpillar to eat and we used our props to act out the A Caterpillar Life Cycle song I wrote for a science lesson a couple years ago.

Instead of using our hands for the finger play we used the puppet to show how a caterpillar has 12 eyes, chomps on leaves, makes a chrysalis (turn the sock puppet inside out), and then turns into a butterfly.  A cute and simple way to have fun over and over again!

For the words and hand motions to this and other caterpillar and butterfly songs check out:

Caterpillar and Butterfly Themed Finger Play Songs