The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a lovely starting point for drama with very young children. For children aged two to three, the aim is not to act out the story correctly. Instead, the book becomes a starting point for movement, imagination, language and play.
Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Age: 2–3 years
Duration: 15–20 minutes
Resources: The picture book and, if available, coloured scarves or pieces of fabric
Focus: Movement, imagination, language, body awareness and creative expression
Begin by sharing the picture book with the children. You do not need to recreate every part of the story afterwards. Follow the children’s responses and repeat the parts they particularly enjoy.
A Tiny Egg
Ask the children to find a space on the floor.
“Can you make yourself really, really small?”
Encourage the children to curl their bodies into a tiny shape.
“I wonder what is inside our tiny eggs?”
“Can you stay very still?”
“What might happen next?”
Allow a little silence and anticipation. Then invite the children to slowly begin moving.
“Something is beginning to move inside the egg.”
“Can you wriggle?”
“Can you stretch?”
“Can you slowly come out of your egg?”
We Are Caterpillars
Invite the children to explore how a caterpillar might move.
“How does a caterpillar move?”
There is no need to demonstrate immediately. Give the children time to find their own movements. They might crawl, wriggle, stretch or move slowly across the floor. Follow their ideas.
“I can see a caterpillar wriggling.”
“This caterpillar is moving very slowly.”
“Where are all the caterpillars going?”
The Caterpillars Are Hungry
The caterpillars begin to feel hungry.
“My tummy is rumbling. Is your caterpillar hungry too?”
Ask the children what their caterpillars might like to eat. They do not have to choose the foods from the book. Their caterpillars might want strawberries, apples, bananas or something completely unexpected.
Pretend to discover different foods around the room.
“Where will we find something to eat?”
“What have you found?”
“Can you reach up high to get it?”
“Is there any food hiding down low?”
Mime picking, smelling and tasting the imaginary food. Encourage the children to make eating sounds.
“Crunch, crunch, crunch!”
A Very Full Caterpillar
After eating all the food, the caterpillars have very full tummies.
“Oh! My tummy is so full. How does your caterpillar feel?”
Let the children show this with their bodies. They might rub their tummies, move very slowly or lie down.
“Can your caterpillar still wriggle?”
“Maybe we need a rest.”
Making a Cocoon
Tell the children that the caterpillars need somewhere quiet and safe to rest.
“Where could we sleep?”
“Can we make ourselves a cosy place?”
The children can curl their bodies into small shapes again. If scarves or pieces of fabric are available, they can be used to create imaginary cocoons.
Lower your voice.
“Everything is very quiet.”
“The caterpillars are resting.”
Pause, then introduce a little anticipation.
“I wonder what is happening inside?”
Something Is Changing
Ask the children to begin moving very slowly.
“Can you move your fingers?”
“Can you move your arms?”
“Something is growing.”
Allow the children to decide what happens. If they recognise the story, they may suggest that they are becoming butterflies.
“Can you slowly come out?”
“What have you become?”
Butterfly Dance
Invite the children to move freely around the space.
“How does your butterfly move?”
“Can it fly slowly?”
“Can it fly high?”
“Can it fly down low?”
“Where is your butterfly going?”
Scarves can become wings if available, but they are not necessary. Follow the children’s movements rather than asking everyone to move in exactly the same way.
Finish by allowing the butterflies to find somewhere to land.
“Where will your butterfly rest?”
Extending the Drama
The workshop does not have to end with the story. If the children are engaged, follow what interests them. A child might decide that the butterfly is going home. Another might discover a flower. Someone might become another caterpillar. The group might decide that it is raining and all the butterflies need to find shelter.
These ideas can become the next part of the drama. The important thing is that the adult does not need to know where the drama is going before it begins.
For children aged two to three, repeating the workshop on another day can also be valuable. Children may initially watch rather than participate. As the experience becomes familiar, they may begin contributing more movements, sounds and ideas.
Open-Ended Questions
- What do you think is inside the egg?
- How could our caterpillar move?
- Where should we go?
- What food can you find?
- How does your caterpillar feel?
- What is happening inside the cocoon?
- What have you become?
- Where will your butterfly go?
The aim is not to recreate The Very Hungry Caterpillar perfectly. The story provides a familiar starting point, while the children use their bodies, voices and imaginations to take the drama in their own direction.
More Drama Activities for Young Children
If you enjoyed this workshop, explore Drama Start on Amazon, the first book in the Drama Start series, with more practical drama games and activities for children.
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