15 Free Life Cycle of a Butterfly Printables
Use these life cycle of a butterfly printables with your next butterfly theme. Be sure to check out even more butterfly activities for preschoolers once you’re done here.
The printable butterfly activities aren’t just for preschoolers, either. You can use these with kindergarten students, too! They give young children a chance to explore the butterfly life cycle in engaging ways.
These butterfly life cycle printables supplement and encourage hands-on exploration of the butterfly and its life cycle. Be sure to pair them with non-fiction books, photographs, and even more butterfly fun.
Teaching science in preschool and kindergarten is a blast! The kids are natural scientists, with so many amazing questions and observations. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and I always find myself getting excited about what they’re learning about.
Hands-On Science During a Butterfly Theme
Hands-on science activities are so important, and I especially love bringing real items in as often as possible. What better way to learn about a concept than to get your eyes (and sometimes hands) on it?!
This is definitely the case when teaching a preschool butterfly theme. Every time I’ve taught one, I’ve been able to bring real caterpillars into the classroom. Observing the butterfly life cycle in the flesh is a must with young kids. Older kids love it, too, I can tell you (not to mention the grown ups)!
In addition to the real caterpillars and butterflies, we read a ton of butterfly books during this theme – both fiction and non-fiction. I like having real photos of different types of butterflies and caterpillars up in the science center too.
From there, I like to incorporate a variety of hands-on activities that lets the kids explore the concept in a variety of ways. While I’m not fond of preschool worksheets, I do also like bringing in printables that work well alongside the hands-on, multi-sensory activities we have going on.
For a butterfly theme, I’ve made a few of my own. I’ve also found more from like-minded teachers and parents. Check out 15 such printables below. If I missed some of your favorites, feel free to tell me about them in the comments at the end of the post.
Materials for Your Butterfly Printables
Here are some items I like to keep on-hand for prepping printables (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
Here are a few other items you might want to use with your butterfly life cycle printables:
- Rotini pasta
- Bowtie pasta
- Pipe cleaners
- Play dough
- Paper plates
- Crayons
- Butterfly mini garden
I highly recommend determining which printable activities you’re planning to use first. Then check your teacher supply cabinet to see what materials you already have on-hand. Then a trip to the store might be warranted!
Life Cycle of a Butterfly Printables
Below you’ll find 15 free life cycle of a butterfly printables to use in your early childhood classroom. I think each of them can be used with preschoolers and kindergartners, and they’re all adaptable to individual children’s needs.
Our Favorite Butterfly Printables
These are our most favorite life cycle of a butterfly printables. I’ve used them with different groups of children over the years. And they’re generally a big hit as part of our butterfly theme.
Make butterfly life cycle sensory bottles, and then use the printable life cycle cards to label each of the bottles. Simple, fun, and colorful bottles you can keep at the science center or in your sensory center (or switch it up throughout your theme).
Print out a butterfly life cycle printable book that explores literacy skills AND science at the same time. Be sure to keep the books to reread throughout your butterfly unit.
Use butterfly playdough mats to review the life cycle while strengthening those little hand muscles. Your students can make the stages as-is or be creative with the play dough and loose parts they use with the mats.
You can use the printable life cycle leaf cards to make a fun butterfly life cycle necklace, or as a matching activity to go with it. Because we both know how much children love making things to wear!
Even More Life Cycle of a Butterfly Printables for Kids
Of course, I have even more butterfly printables to share with you! The following are from other educators around the world. Take a peek and choose the printables your students will enjoy the most.
After you’ve made the necklace, why not make a butterfly life cycle hat too?! I can just picture the kids walking around with the butterfly life cycle all over themselves.
Make a paper plate butterfly life cycle craft with your students, using the printable as a guide.
Play a printable butterfly life cycle game! I love the idea of making an even bigger version to put on the floor and play.
Let the kids twist and turn a homemade butterfly life cycle cup as they explain how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
An adult would likely need to assemble this butterfly life cycle paper toy, but I am sure the kids would be amazed watching it change through the life cycle.
Print out some butterfly observation sheets for your students to use as they observe the life cycle in real time.
Put together a butterfly sequence strips activity using free life cycle of a butterfly printables. If possible, pair the strips with a butterfly pointer the kids can use as they read!
Use the printables paired with this butterfly life cycle activity to encourage writing and drawing about butterflies.
Make a class butterfly journal to draw and write in as you observe the life cycle.
Have your students work on scissor skills while retelling the life cycle of a butterfly.
Children can use these Monarch printables to practice sequencing the butterfly life cycle.
Now, the question becomes which of these life cycle of a butterfly printables are you going to try first?! Be sure to pin this post for future reference. While you’re there, check out my Butterfly Activities Pinterest Board.
Preschool Butterfly Lesson Plans
Let Preschool Teacher 101 make your life easier with fully-developed, done-for-you preschool resources. We have lesson plans, circle time songs, STEM challenges, literacy activities, digital games, math lessons, dramatic play packs, and so much more!
Click on the image below to check out our butterfly lesson plans. It comes with weekly plans, detailed daily lesson plans, whole group activities, small group lessons, center ideas, book suggestions, and related printables:
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers. And be sure to join the waiting list for The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101, our membership for teachers just like you. Our members get access to all of our products, as well as exclusive items!
Originally written May 2018.
The post 15 Free Life Cycle of a Butterfly Printables appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.