Easy Caterpillar Sensory Bag for Preschool
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is hands down the most popular children’s book in my house! It has been in all three of my children’s bedtime book rotations since they were born. There is just something incredibly lovable and magical about a caterpillar that will eventually turn into a butterfly! If you have a caterpillar or insect lover in your house, then you have to try this caterpillar sensory bag.
Recommended Grade Level:
Caterpillar Sensory Bag Supplies:
- (2) 8 oz Bottles of Aloe Vera Gel
- Multicolored pom poms
- Canning top (or anything that is circle-shaped and can be traced)
- Circle shape object smaller than the canning top (for the caterpillar head)
- Black Sharpie
- Multicolored Sharpies (or permanent markers) to correlate with the pom pom colors
- Zip-lock gallon-size baggie
- Packaging tape
- Alcohol swabs
- White cardstock
Caterpillar Sensory Bag
If you are new to sensory play, you might be wondering what a sensory bag is. A sensory bag is a clear bag filled with materials that your child can feel and use their tactile sense to explore. Sensory bags, like this caterpillar one, are perfect for young children because all of the materials are contained within the bag (which means zero mess)! Once you start to introduce your child to sensory activities, you will be hooked and will need to check out all of our other wonderful sensory activities at Life Over Cs!
This sensory bag is filled with aloe vera gel, because the green color matches the color of a caterpillar perfectly! Sometimes sensory bags can be filled with other thick liquids like paint, shaving cream, hand soap, or baby oil. We even have an amazing Pattern Block Shapes Sensory Bag that is a hair gel sensory bag!
Materials You Will Need For Making This Caterpillar Sensory Bag:
- (2) 8 oz Bottles of Aloe Vera Gel
- Multicolored pom poms
- Canning top (or anything that is circle-shaped and can be traced)
- Circle shape object smaller than the canning top (for the caterpillar head)
- Black Sharpie
- Multicolored Sharpies (or permanent markers) to correlate with the pom pom colors
- Zip-lock gallon-size baggie
- Packaging tape
- Alcohol swabs
- White cardstock
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Caterpillar Sensory Bag:
Step One:
To make for a smooth and easy process when putting your caterpillar sensory bag together, gather all of your materials and have them all easily accessible.
Step Two:
Using the alcohol swab, rub and erase any writing or labeling that is on the plastic bag.
Tip: If you do not have an alcohol swab, you can use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol.
Step Three:
Take your black sharpie and use the smaller circular object to trace the head of the caterpillar. Next, use your canning lid (or whatever large circular object you have) and the colored sharpies (use colors that coordinate with the pom poms) to create the larger circles that make up the body of the caterpillar.
Teacher Tip: This is a great time to talk about shapes with your child and let them practice tracing on their own paper!
Step Four:
Fill the bag with 16 oz of aloe vera gel and then add the colored pom poms.
Step Five:
Carefully squeeze the bag so that all the air comes out, but the aloe vera gel and pom poms stay inside. Zip the bag shut. Use packaging tape to secure the top of the bag shut and tape a piece of white cardstock to the back of the bag.
Step Six:
It’s time to enjoy playtime with your Sensory Bag Caterpillar!
Yay! You Made Your Caterpillar Sensory Bag! What Now?
Once you have put together your sensory bag, you can let your child move the little colorful pom poms into their matching colored circles on the caterpillar. Keep mixing the pom poms back up after they have completed the task for more color sorting practice. If your child loves color sorting as much as mine does, you have to check out this fun Colorful Bead Sorting Activity!
This Sensory Bag Caterpillar works great as an independent activity for a child, but it will also work great if you have multiple children or are a classroom teacher. Simply create multiple caterpillar bags and set them up at a station, or you can even partner children in pairs and let them work together to color sort and play!
Ways To Modify This Caterpillar Sensory Bag:
Young toddlers will be happy just to enjoy pressing their little fingers into the different textures of the gel and pom poms. If you have preschoolers, they may enjoy trying some different things with their sensory bag caterpillar. Try:
- Creating patterns on the caterpillar with the different colored pom poms.
- Practicing counting and adding the pom poms in the sensory bag. Our Spring Themed Counting Book would be a great counting activity to go along with this!
- Create an easy letter find activity by writing letters on the white card stock and then placing it back underneath the bag again. As you say the letter, have your child find it and cover it with a pom pom. Check out all of our Free Alphabet Activities for more letter practice!
Looking For More Fun Sensory Bag Ideas? Check Out Some Of Our Favorites:
Why Should Children Learn About Caterpillars?
This Sensory Bag Caterpillar is a wonderful way to have your child start learning about caterpillars. You can talk about the parts of a caterpillar’s body, and introduce them to the concept of life cycles and metamorphosis.
Learning about caterpillars and other insects is a fantastic way to get your child interested in nature and caring for our environment. Britannica Kids has interesting articles about caterpillars, butterflies, and other insects for curious learners!
Why Are Sensory Activities Important?
Sensory activites are super easy to set up and they have so many incredible benefits for children. The colorful pom poms and green gel make this a visually stimulating activity, while the squishy pom poms and gooey gel make it a fun tactile experience! Sensory play helps develop fine motor skills and encourages children to explore and be curious.
Sensory activities have been shown to calm down children who are upset or overstimulated. Next time your child is feeling upset, try setting up the Sensory Bag Caterpillar and give them a few minutes to quietly move the pom poms around and see if it helps to calm them down! A sensory bottle, like this Patriotic Calm Down Bottle, also works great for this.
More Ways to Explore Caterpillars and Butterflies:
- Printable Life Cycle Of A Butterfly Diagram
- Life Cycle Of A Butterfly Sensory Bin
- Paper Plate Life Cycle Of A Butterfly Craft
Frequently Asked Questions
These are frequently asked questions about Sensory Bag Caterpillars:
What age should you start sensory play?
All ages can benefit from sensory play! Babies love hearing music, listening to the sound of rattles shaking, and gently touching different fabrics. Toddlers and preschoolers are the perfect age to use sensory bags, bottles, and bins! (Here are some super fun rice sensory bins you need to check out!) Just be sure to always closely supervise, especially if there are any small objects in an activity.
What other liquids can I put in a sensory bag?
Aloe gel works great for this since the green color is perfect for a caterpillar, but you can also make a hair gel sensory bag, or use clear glue, dish soap, or corn syrup.
How long will a sensory bag last for?
You can use sensory bags multiple times! You can wipe them down with a wet cloth to clean them, or sanitize the outside of the bag if you are using them with more than one child. If the liquid inside the bag starts to become discolored, or the bag gets a hole in it, you will want to replace it and create a new sensory bag.
How do you stop sensory bags from leaking?
To keep sensory bags from leaking, be sure to secure the top shut with tape. Also, be careful to keep any sharp objects such as scissors and pencils away from the bag to avoid puncturing it.
Enjoy Your Sensory Play Time!
Hopefully your child loves this Sensory Bag Caterpillar as much as we do! Children love feeling all of the fun textures in this bag and moving the colorful pom poms around. If this was your first sensory bag, (or even if you are a sensory activity pro) we hope you keep checking out all of our other fun sensory activities at Life Over Cs!
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