Caterpillar Pen Holder

AGE RANGE:  PROJECT SHOULD BE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED BY AGES 4 AND UP WITH HELP FROM PARENT OR GUARDIAN

APPROXIMATE TIME: 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR

How many caterpillars have you seen this summer? Do you know they are baby butterflies? Learn about Caterpillars today and create a cool project with us, The Caterpillar Pen Holder! 

EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME

This project overs a fun, creative project that follows along with a literary element, the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Depending on the age of the child this project overs an oppertunities to practive counting, coloring, and reading skills. It also provides a lesson about the process of how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.

butterfly_lifecycle  the-very-hungry-caterpillar

Art Materials Needed
Art Materials Needed
  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors
  • Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Water or wet towels
  • Glue/tape/stapler
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Pencil (optional)
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar book for reference (eBook, Google, YouTube, etc.)
Project Instructions


  1. Paint the paper rolls green (or colors of your choice), let dry. 
  2. Make the caterpillar’s head from construction paper, make sure the width of the paper is equal or larger than the length of the paper roll. 
  3. Fold the paper in half. 
  4. Snip two small cuts in the middle line of the paper to feed through the antenna.
  5. Make the caterpillar’s antenna from pipe cleaner and attach with tape/glue/staple the inside the paper. 
  6. Glue the two halves of the paper together. 
  7. Cut a straight line on one un-painted toilet paper roll and glue the head onto the edge of it. Paint it when the glue is dry. 
  8. Paint what the caterpillar has eaten (refer to the book), let dry. 
  9. Glue all pieces together, let dry. 
  10. Place pens, pencils, markers, paint brushes into each roll. 
  11. Have fun organizing your very own caterpillar pen holder!