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Caterpillar Hands

Lesson plan developed by Ms. Erika Geelhoed, BA Ed
Activity:  
Caterpillar Hands
Age Group:
Young Infants
* Lesson plan objective and assessment can be adapted to use this activity with mobile infants, toddlers or preschoolers.
Caterpillar Hands
Caterpillar Hands
Objectives:  
  • Language and communication development; cognitive development and general knowledge
  • Child will interact and explore new textures
  • Child will show interest in the book as it is being shared (gaze at, point at, pat, turn pages, etc.)
CDA Competency Standard:   
II.4.3a
  • Activities and materials encourage children to develop their senses.
a) Sight, sound, smell, taste and touch experiences are encouraged through a variety of developmentally appropriate materials and activities
Materials: 
  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (available from Amazon)
  • paint (red, blue, and green, yellow, and brown)
  • paper
  • black marker
Procedure: 
Sit in a comfortable place such as a rocking chair with the infant on your lap. Hold the book so the infant can see it. Then turn the pages and point out the characteristics of each picture. Initially, use only the first picture, and then talk more about each picture.  

Read the story as you are able, according to the infant's contentment. If the child loses interest, then save the activity and come back to it at another time. 
When finished, begin the art project.  Start by painting the palm of the child’s hand green (this will be the body) and their fingers blue (these will be the legs).  Press painted hands onto paper. Repeat 4-5 times for each section of the body. 

With a clean hand, paint their palm red this time to make the head. Let dry. Use yellow paint and a clean finger to make the outer portion of the eyes.  

Do this again with green paint and a smaller finger to make the inner portion. Use brown paint and one last clean finger to make antennae. 
Assessment: 
  •  Observe and record how the infant reacts to the book and paint.
Click on the photos to enlarge.
Online Courses for Early Childhood Educators
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CDA Renewal Training Online $200.00
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10 Hours Infant Training Package $105.00
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Stages of Physical Growth and Development in Infants $10.50
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Stages of Cognitive Development in Infants $10.50
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Stages of Social and Emotional Development in Infants $10.50
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Ethics and Ethical Behavior $21.00

Open-Ended Art

Infants use their senses to explore the world around them. Their glances and gropes might seem random, but their grabs, lunges and attempts to speak are reflective of brain development taking place. Having a project on the lesson plan will often fulfill your classroom planning requirements, and occasionally it is fun to have something to share with parents that has a visible outcome.   

Be sure to engage an infant's senses of vision and touch with open-ended art activities.  Babies and toddlers learn the most from “open ended” experiences. Open-ended art is having no expectations about the product;  it’s all about the process.  The focus then is not trying to achieve a predetermined outcome, but instead exploring materials and experimenting with the process of creation.  The final outcome might be based on an idea or it might be abstract.  Open ended art is all about free choice, discovery, problem solving and imagination!  

Yes, a printable or “project” has it’s developmental assets but in the early years open ended art experiences will give the baby ownership of their learning because they are in charge of the ideas and concepts which will emotionally invest them and motivate them try again and again!  
Open Ended Art for Infants
Open-Ended Art
Online Courses for Early Childhood Educators
Click on the course icon for enrollment information.