Eric Carle’s classic Very Hungry Caterpillar turns 50 on March 24. Generations of children have experienced the colorful transformation of the caterpillar.

This story teaches children the basic concepts of counting, days of the week, and opposites (front and back) as well as growth and change. Here are some ideas to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this beloved children’s book:

Read the story

Make A Caterpillar

Create a caterpillar out of an egg carton.

Make A Butterfly

Create a butterfly out of paper.

Play Games & Color

Find a fun maze, matching game, and coloring sheets here to celebrate the Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Grow A Butterfly

With this kit, you and your child will be able to see the transformation of your very own caterpillars into butterflies.

Be sure to read and celebrate this children’s classic.

Jann Fujimoto, MS CCC-SLP, enjoys the colorful artwork of Eric Carle’s books. She is a speech-language pathologist and owner of SpeechWorks. SpeechWorks helps children in Oconomowoc, Watertown, Dousman, Delafield, Hartland, and Pewaukee become confident communicators.