The Very Hungry Caterpillar

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar            By:  Eric Carle                       Age Range:  Pre-school through Kindergarten

Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a timeless classic that teaches children the days of the week, counting, and the life cycle of a butterfly.  It is also great for vocabulary development with new words such as “caterpillar” and “cocoon”.  What a surprise it is for children to see that the caterpillar has changed into a beautiful butterfly.  The book has repetitive text, so that children can share in the reading.  This delightful book has bright and colorful illustrations that children will enjoy.

Tips for Reading:

• Before reading the story, discuss with the child the activities that they do each day of the week.
• On a second reading, have the child read the repetitive text, “but he was still hungry”, along with you.
• After reading, the child can count the items eaten by the caterpillar.
• After reading, discuss with the child the life cycle of a butterfly, using the words “caterpillar” and “cocoon”.
• Cut out pictures from weekly grocery ads and have the child put them in categories such as fruits, vegetables, etc.

Other Books by Eric Carle:

• The Grouchy Ladybug
• The Very Busy Spider
• The Very Quiet Cricket
• The Very Lonely Firefly

*All of the books listed can be found on Amazon and most can be found at your local bookstore and/or library.

 

Cooking Time:

Fruit Pizza

Most children love pizza. Try this new sweet and fruity variety that will be fun and scrumptious.  Children can help pat the crust onto the pan and select their favorite fruits to add for the pizza topping.  This is a pizza that the Very Hungry Caterpillar would love.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1/2 cup butter (softened)

1 cup flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

8 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Assorted fruit (strawberries, chunk pineapple (save juice), kiwi, blueberries, etc.)

• Grease a round 14 inch pizza pan.
• Drain canned pineapple chunks and save juice for the glaze.
• Mix butter, flour and powdered sugar.  Use hands to mix until it resembles pie dough.  (Children can help mix.)
• Pat dough onto the pan.  (Children can help.)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes until light brown.  Watch closely.
• Place on wire rack to cool completely.
• Clean and slice fruit for the top of the pizza.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla until blended.  (Do not need a mixer.)
• Spread on cooled crust.
• Arrange fruit any way that you would like.  Create your own design.  (Example:  strawberries on outside, kiwi, pineapple, then blueberries in the center.)

Glaze for your Fruit Pizza:

1 1/2 cups juice (Use the juice from the canned pineapple.  Add water if needed.)

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Whisk together juice (from pineapple with added water), cornstarch, 3/4 cup sugar, and lemon juice in a small pan.
• Heat on medium to medium high heat and stir constantly until thickened.  (About 3 to 5 minutes.)
• Place the fruit pizza on waxed paper to catch any glaze that spills over the side of the pizza pan.
• Pour the glaze over the fruit while hot.
• Slice into pizza slices and enjoy.

Butterfly Pancakes

These great pancakes are so much fun to make and even better to eat.  Children can help mixing up the buttermilk batter and can decorate their butterfly pancakes with fresh fruit.  For variety, you can add blueberries or bananas to the pancake batter.  (To save time, you can use a pancake mix.)

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 extra large egg  (Children love cracking eggs.)

2 tablespoon melted butter

Fruit of your choice.  (Strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges (canned), etc.)

• In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt with a whisk.
• Whisk the egg and buttermilk into the dry mixture.
• Stir in the melted butter.  (May be a little lumpy.)
• Heat a non-stick pan or griddle to medium to medium high heat.
• To form each butterfly wing, pour 2 heaping tablespoons of batter onto the griddle.  Pour 1 heaping tablespoon of batter below the first one.   Make sure they are touching.
• Flip pancake when bubbles form on top.
• Cook until second side is golden brown.
• Assemble by placing two wings on plate, forming the butterfly.  Arrange the fruit on top.
• Serve with maple syrup.

Makes approximately 3 butterflies.