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Caterpillar Counters
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Collect, clean and recycle plastic milk bottle lids and then make them into fun counting characters !
Download the Caterpillar Counter sheet guide
You will need:
10 bottle lids per Caterpillar
Threading material - cord, wool, laces
2 small double sided sticky foam pads
a head !
mark making tools for the facial features.
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A hole punch tool - NON affiliated link - amazon search
affiliated link - Draper revolving punch
This is the heavy duty revolving punch we used.
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Secure the head counter ..
Cut two holes and thread the cord through both. Knot on the inside. Place sticky pads on the front and attach the face.
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Play ideas
Setting up some play environments:
Fill play area trays with - Sand, soil, water, foam, beads, pasta - if no tray is available use in a basket or on the carpet for play ..
 Sand tray discovery - Place the lids, laces, card circles - pre attached to a lid & the lace - and pencils into the sand tray for free play. Introduce counting activities and fine motor skill threading.
Soil tunnels - in the soil or compost tray turn the caterpillars into worms! ask, why the soil worms may of turned green .. ?'
change the colour if alternative lids are used.
See what ideas are given and how everyone reacts to them ..
A few suggestions to help communication and conversation ..
They're feeling a bit sick ..
They've all been to the haidressers ..
Everyone ate pea soup for tea ..
For factual references the plastic is dyed green / red / blue at manufacture to help show which milk bottles contain Full Fat, Semi Skimmed and Skimmed milk.
Use as a guided or unrestricted carpet play / basket activity.
Thread, count, touch and associate sensory play with learning.
Risk assess age & development of Children.
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At the activities end:
Safeguard the children's self esteem and protect their wellbeing by asking if they want/need a photograph taken of their Caterpillar + face.
This will ensure that the Caterpillar can be remade if stored away, taken apart or accidentally damaged.
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More caterpillar counting resources:
An excellent Caterpillar counting rhyme can be found here
5 Little Caterpillars
Our Colouring caterpillar and daisy chain picture
and please find many more number line and counting resources in the store: Mini Topics
To extend ..
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Additional play resources to build on this set can include numbered lids, activity sheets to record Caterpillar designs, patterns and sequences.
Use larger discs - tubs lids, and number with a permanent marker.
For younger children these too can be hole punched and used for threading skills.
For older children they can be used to see what written numerals look like and equate to - add a corresponding amount of smaller counters.
Once caterpillars have been made and interest remains use this observation activity sheet to record what it looks like:
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Caterpillar recording sheet.doc
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