Fun Activities in Nature: Catch a Butterfly

There isn't much explanation needed for this mini-project; just some interesting facts and plenty of butterflies :)

Interesting facts about butterflies:

  • The biggest living butterfly, Queen Alexandra Birdwing, has a wingspan of almost 30 cm.
  • Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet to help them find their host plants and locate food. In kids language: Butterflies taste with their feet.
  • Adult butterflies can only feed on liquids—usually nectar.
  • Butterflies can't fly if they are cold.
  • Butterflies usually live for two to four weeks. OK, this was definitely not an interesting fact my kids wanted to learn.
  • A butterfly's lifecycle is made up of four parts, egg, larva (caterpillars), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. This fact can be introduced before or after reading "The very hungry caterpillar" by Eric Carle. 

Step 1.

Draw and cut out a butterfly (or let your kids do it). For this one, you need a piece of construction paper or cardboard.

Step 2.

Go outside and take some photos. This is one of many activities to get your kids to play outdoors.

Ok, I believe you got the idea :)

One of my boys, Einstein E, found this activity immensely interesting. When we got home, he continued finding musters around the flat. Aquarium, books, boxes, carpet... So many colourful butterflies  :)

Then we moved on to painting.

And finally, our butterflies :) We also used this exhibition for working on some literacy skills in three languages. Even though Croatian is their first language and German is becoming more dominant, the boys like the word "butterfly" the most :)

* The interesting facts can be found in:

  • Woodward, J. (2017). Tiere; Die Tierwelt in spektakulären Bildern. München: Dorling Kindersley Verlag.
  • McGhee, K. (2014). Das Ravensburger Lexikon der Tiere. Ravensburg: Ravensburger Buchverlag.