Facts for Children about butterflies

The life cycle of a butterfly is fascinating: our poster clearly illustrates how a caterpillar hatches from a tiny egg, grows bigger and bigger, pupates, and finally emerges as a completely new creature. Find out here what else you can make, design and play with on the theme of ‘butterflies’.

Interesting facts about butterflies

1. Did you know that a butterfly starts out as a caterpillar and then transforms into a butterfly? (See the life cycle diagram)
2. What does a caterpillar eat before it pupates?
   Mainly leaves from various plants, but also flowers, buds and fruits
3. Where does the butterfly caterpillar pupate?
   In sheltered places, often on twigs, leaves, in the soil or in cracks in the bark.
4. Where have you ever seen a butterfly?
5. Are moths also butterflies?
   Yes, moths are butterflies.
6. What colours does a butterfly have?
   Whilst butterflies are often brightly coloured, moths are usually active at night and have more subdued colouring.
7. How does a butterfly hibernate?
   Butterflies hibernate as eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises or fully-grown butterflies, often in sheltered hiding places such as tree hollows, thick ivy, woodpiles or cool attics.
8. Can you hear a butterfly?
   No, butterflies don't make any noise.
9. What is dangerous for the butterfly?
   The greatest threats to butterflies are habitat loss, the use of pesticides in agriculture and climate change. Natural predators such as birds, spiders and frogs.
10. Is it OK to touch a butterfly?
    Butterflies should generally not be touched, as their wings are extremely delicate.
11. What do butterflies eat?
    They do not chew their food, but suck it up with their proboscis; they feed on liquid flower nectar, overripe fruit (bananas, oranges, apples), as well as plant sap and minerals from moist soil.

This is how a butterfly is formed

Create a delicious fruit platter

Use all the fruit you like to eat and make the butterfly look really colourful. Talk about which fruits from your fruit plate the caterpillar or butterfly might also like. That way, you’ll get to try some types of fruit you might not have tried before.

Butterfly craft idea

Create a giant butterfly for your group room. Together, you’ve created something truly wonderful.

1. Take a large sheet of paper and draw the outline of a butterfly on it.
2. To ensure the edges are neat, it’s best to mask off the outer edges with masking tape or place a cardboard template over them.
3. Paint your palms in bright colours using finger paint. That way, everyone can make their own unique handprint.
4. Make as many handprints as you like until the outline of the giant butterfly is filled in with colour.
5. Finally, carefully peel off the masking tape and find a nice spot for your lovely butterfly.

Game idea: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

1. Collect 10 different leaves.
2. Now punch holes in each leaf so that you end up with one sheet for each number from 1 to 10. The best way to do this is with a hole punch or a hole-punching tool.
3. Now each leaf can be stuck onto a piece of coloured card the size of a postcard – that way, the game will last a bit longer.
4. Then all you have to do is cut out the caterpillars at the bottom of this page, numbered 1–10.
5. The leaves and caterpillars are spread out together on a table.
6. Now the children can count the holes in each leaf and place the caterpillar with the matching number on top.

"BETTY FLY" memory game

1. Print this page twice on sturdy paper, or stick the two printouts onto cardstock.
2. Cut out the 32 cards.
And there you have it – a great memory game!

Colouring pictures featuring butterflies

Games and puzzles featuring butterflies