Sing/play: Ladybug Hello (cd pictured above) with ribbons for swaying!

Every little girl insisted that the ribbons were because they’re princesses. 😉

Sing: If You’re Ready for a Story

Read: The Very Hungry Caterpillar pop-up

Ooooh, how they loved the big, shiny butterfly on the last page.

Talk (and math!): 5 Little Caterpillars flannel and rhyme

Sing/play: Doodlebugs- Laurie Berkner with ribbons, once again.

Talk: I spy for I words with…Alfred the alligator puppet! Today we found out that ice cream and igloo start with I. We also talked about how insects is a word that starts with I and after I defined the difference between a bug and an insect, we talked about bugs we knew that are also insects.

Read: The Very Busy Bee

Play/talk: Bugs in a box game

Bugs in a box is just an interactive rendition of Brown Bear, Brown Bear. I pulled out my different insects and we named them all. Then I put them in a box and covered them up.

I then pulled one out. A caterpillar! I made him crawl around a little and we decided that caterpillars move really slowly, not fast. I said, “Caterpillar, caterpillar, what do you see?” Then I pulled out another random insect. A butterfly! I asked the children what a butterfly does. We talked about how they flutter. So Caterpillar said, “I see a butterfly fluttering toward me.” Then another and another until all four bugs were done and the last said, “I see children looking at me!” and gave them all little buggy smooches on the nose.

I love this game because the kids try to guess what bug is coming next and they also get to make up a little story as we go along. It’s great pretend play and really builds those narrative concepts.

Read: Can You Make a Scary Face?

Play: Little Mouse, Little Mouse

Called it quits for playtime.