I have a fun hands-on butterfly unit study for kids. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more homeschool unit studies.
Also, I have a bit of everything you need to keep on theme with math, science, and language arts for younger learners.
And I have put in a few so we can include older siblings as well.
Fun is always the way to go.
Besides for any nature study, I encourage you to get out and do it first!
Since butterflies are found on every continent except Antarctica there are always some fluttering around.
Observe butterflies in the wild, caterpillars climbing on milkweed, flowers that they use for nectar, how they drink, etc.
There is no substitute for seeing it firsthand but there are plenty of great supplemental activities to go along with it to make the most fun unit.
Of course, when you are living life and learning through play you will find that multiple subjects naturally overlap creating a wonderful experience for you both.
Keep on reading for a cute and fun sponge stamping activity at the end that younger kids will enjoy as a unique art project.
Kids’ Books About Butterflies
First, look at these books about butterflies.
I love to add living books to our reading list and next look for reference books especially for science subjects.
10 Butterfly Resources and Book
Fun books and resources to learn about butterflies.
What is a butterfly s life? Its full of twists and turns as butterfly glide on air currents. Its full of dips and dives as they show off for their mates. There are more than 17,000 kinds of butterflies in the world. Some of them will only live for a few days. Others will migrate thousands of miles to winter in a warmer climate. Still others will hibernate through the cold months. For all butterflies, life begins with metamorphosis. In one of nature s most amazing feats, caterpillars become creatures of beauty and grace.
One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly.
Richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, The Grew Who Drew Butterflies will enthrall young scientists.
This is a wonderful, realistic set of the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly, which contains the 4 stages, eggs, caterpillars (larva) with a leaf, a chrysalis (pupa), and a butterfly. It is a good learning toy for homeschoolers teaching.
Some farms grow vegetables or grains, and some raise cows, sheep, chickens, or pigs. But have you ever heard of a butterfly farm? How do you raise a butterfly?On a farm in Costa Rica, workers care for these delicate, winged creatures as they change from eggs to caterpillars to pupae. Like any other crop, the butterflies will eventually leave the farm. But where will they go? And just how do you ship a butterfly?
Pop-up, reusable 11.5-inch tall mesh habitat perfect for butterfly viewing; includes feeding dropper and complete instructions
Witness one of nature's most spectacular transformations up close
Caterpillars ship separately via included Voucher (additional $8.95 for processing); packaging may vary
Introduce young readers to the fascinating process of how caterpillars become butterflies.Follow the transformation from a tiny white egg laid on a leaf to a brilliantly colored butterfly in this kid-friendly introduction to metamorphosis. With detailed, bright watercolors, Gail Gibbons illustrates the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, stage by stage, as it grows, changes, and takes flight.
A beautifully illustrated, informative book for children introducing them to bugs that creep, crawl, bite, fly, and more
From moths and beetles to worms and spiders, the world is crawling with fascinating bugs. The Big Book of Bugs is the first fact-filled book for children to explore the vast array of creepy-crawlies that share our Earth.
From the creators of the award-winning An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, and A Rock Is Lively comes this gorgeous and informative introduction to the world of butterflies.Part of the incredible six-book Nature Books series from the award-winning duo of Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, A Butterfly Is Patient celebrates a dazzling variety of butterflies in all their beauty and wonder.Turn each page to explore the amazing world of these beautiful winged insects through watercolor illustrations that bring to life garden landscapes filled with flowers, vines, leaves, and sunshine. A BUTTERFLY BOOK TO TREASURE: From the tiny Western Pygmy blue butterfly to the grand Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, from the iridescent blue swallowtail to the brilliant orange monarch, curious kids will find a wealth of information and inspiration in this fascinating picture book.
Butterflies are all around us. It's hard to believe these majestic insects with impressive wingspans and beautifully colored and patterned wings were once creepy crawly caterpillars. How in the world does this transformation happen? This Level 1 Reader gives kids an up-close look at exactly how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. With bonus information including different types of butterflies and poisonous caterpillars, this reader is one of a kind.
Crinkleroot introduces the amazing world of butterflies and moths as he tours the natural world, exposing the facts and behaviors of this fascinating insect group known as Lepidoptera.
Next, look at these butterfly unit study ideas.
Math Ideas to Learn About Butterflies
- You can’t get much simpler than using a handful of plastic butterflies for sorting, counting, patterns, and basic addition and subtraction for easy practice.
- Practice counting and number recognition with an easy peasy Butterflies and Flowers Number Line Activity.
- Learn about Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft for a beautiful butterfly activity on one that you don’t see every day.
- For toddlers and very young preschoolers color matching is one of the first introductions to math through sorting, here is an adorable Cardboard Butterfly Color Matching Activity to make.
- Count how many different varieties of flowers you see in your yard or on a nature walk as you talk about how caterpillars use plants for food and
Science & Sensory for Studying Butterflies
- First, raising butterflies inside is just a passage of homeschooling and if you have never done it you just have to experience it with your child. These kits come with the habitat and food.
- See them in all their glorious stages with a Butterfly Sensory Bin that introduces kids to language, sensory experiences, math, and so much more as they play.
- My Butterfly Life Cycle Activity uses inexpensive craft items that are in most of our supplies to teach the more complex life cycle of butterflies simply.
- Grab this life cycle as well which also comes with Montessori cards.
- While your little ones are building up fine motor skills and getting sensory input they will also be learning the Parts of a Butterfly on this Playdough Mat
Nature Anatomy, just look at these beautiful butterfly pages, there is also plenty of info on flowers.
This is a great field guide to take on every nature walk.
Language Arts Butterfly Themed Ideas
- A simple B is for Butterfly activity is a great way to reinforce the sound as well as identify B.
- If you want to include older children in on the theme you could have them write a paragraph or a whole page on a favorite butterfly to incorporate some language arts.
- A Butterfly is Patient is a must-read-aloud and then your child will pour over the beautiful illustrations on their own as well.
Finally, look at how to make this butterfly sponge craft.
Butterfly Sponge Stamping
You will need:
- Sponges
- Pipe cleaners
- Craft paint
- Thick paper
Wrap a pipe cleaner around the center of a sponge tightly and twist to secure the middle.
Then curl the remaining ends into the shape of antennae.
You can either dip the “stamp” into a solid paint color, paint directly onto the sponge, or press into blobs of various colors.
One of my favorites is to load up one half with paint by squeezing it directly from the bottle.
Then fold it in half to transfer some of the paint to the other side.
Now stamp your coated sponge onto paper.
This is a great intro to learning about symmetry as well.
Be sure to have your child press firmly all over the sponge to be sure it leaves a good imprint.
Repeat as much as they like. Incorporate ideas like patterning, and color symmetry, and talk about the parts of a butterfly after they stamp it.
You can reuse these butterflies over and over, just wash them out in the sink and start all over with a fresh batch of colors and designs.
They do work best slightly damp, so they have a bit of flexibility.
If they have dried out just reset and squeeze out as much as you can.
