A caterpillar activity on the felt board provides fine motor fun with preschoolers. Count and sort felt cutouts to make the cutest caterpillar on a tree branch. Welcome summer with this fun caterpillar activity!

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Your favorite things about summer may not be the same as your preschooler's.

You might welcome less struggling with layers of winter clothing; your preschooler might love collecting bugs that end up in jars on the night stand. 

Bugs and insects might not be your favorite things, but they offer awesome learning opportunities for kids, including sensory and gross motor play.

• Reach out and touch a furry caterpillar; swoop with a butterfly across the lawn; hop and bounce like a noisy cricket. 

Caterpillars are often a favorite insect with kids. They are interesting creatures we can observe in many different ways: in nature; in books and videos; in crafts using basic supplies and household items.

This is an easy caterpillar craft that can be set up with two materials - burlap and felt.

The activity is fun for toddlers and preschoolers. The felt board pieces are easy to make, and provide great fine motor play.

Felt board caterpillar

The cute little caterpillar is created with felt circles. 

The tree is made with burlap for added texture to support sensory play. Burlap sticks well to a felt background, and the frayed edges add visual interest. You can also make a tree with felt.

Step 1. Make the tree trunk.

Cut out a tree trunk from burlap fabric. If your fabric is wide enough, cut out branches and trunk in one piece. Otherwise, cut branches separately, with at least one long branch for the caterpillar. 

If you don't have burlap, you can easily substitute felt for the tree trunk. Burlap is fun to use for added texture and visual interest.

Step 2. Make the tree top and leaves.

Cut a large piece of green felt for the tree top. Cut smaller cutouts for leaves. Use green felt for leaves or different colors if preferred.

Step 3. Make the caterpillar.

Cut circles from felt in different colors. We used green and yellow but you can use any colors you prefer.

Add features to one circle to make the caterpillar's face. You can do this with a fine tip marker, or cut out and glue small pieces of felt to the circle cutout.

Option: Overlap a few felt circles. Glue in place to make a 'permanent' caterpillar. Use this prop for other felt board activities and stories.

Circle time with felt board caterpillar

Use the felt pieces for a teacher-led activities or for child-led play.

Teacher-led

Invite kids to place cutouts on the board as you tell a story, or request a color or shape to build the tree and the caterpillar.

• Start with the tree trunk and tree top. Hang leaves from the branches. Add circles one at a time to make the caterpillar creep along the branch.
• Count the circles as you add them to the branch to build the caterpillar.
• Name the colors you use to build the caterpillar.
• Position recognition: Place the caterpillar on the branch, under the branch, beside the tree trunk.
• Countdown: As the caterpillar nibbles a leaf, remove the leaf from the tree. Count the remaining leaves.

Child-led

Make the felt pieces accessible for independent play. Kids can add and remove the pieces to recreate the scene in different ways. 

Which leaf will the caterpillar nibble first?

Have fun with this caterpillar activity. This is one cute little insect you won't mind having indoors!

Butterfly and Caterpillar Pinterest board