5 Clever Ways to Use The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ in Your Classroom (Plus Free Activity Ideas!)

5 Clever Ways to Use The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ in Your Classroom (Plus Free Activity Ideas!)

If there’s one storybook that has stood the test of time in education, it’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ by Eric Carle. Whether you’re decorating your classroom, planning literacy stations, or introducing life cycles, this timeless tale has a magical way of captivating a range of learners.

At Gifted and Talented Teacher, we know how important it is for teacher resources to be both beautiful and purposeful. That’s why we’re obsessed with our The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ classroom decor collection — it’s bright, educational, and designed to make your teaching life easier.

Check out five smart teacher tips for using the collection effectively, plus 3 fun activity ideas to bring the story to life in your classroom.

5 Teacher Tips for Using The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Collection

1. Start with the Decor: Your classroom should spark curiosity and that can absolutely start with your classroom decor. There are a variety of resources embedded in The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ collection, but if you're not sure where to start - you can hone in on the door display, borders, and lettering tiles to create a vibrant, inviting space. We love using the quote posters on bulletin boards to double as a positive and uplifting way to set the tone for a great school day. 

Pro Tip: Create a themed “Reading Garden” corner using our posters and cushions to make story time extra cozy.

2. Integrate Cross-Curricular Learning: Use the visuals from the collection to blend literacy, numeracy, and science. You can count the foods eaten, sequence events, or chart the lifecycle of a butterfly.

3. Get organised with flexible labelling: With The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ labels and name tags, everything from student belongings to classroom supplies becomes part of the theme. It adds a cohesive look and builds early literacy as students learn to read and associate imagery with words. 

4. Rotate the Theme for the Season: Don’t just limit this theme to Term 1. Reuse the materials in spring to teach life cycles, or during a food/nutrition unit. The possibilities are endless — just like your students' imaginations.

5. Use the Days of the Week Posters for Routine: The caterpillar eats something new each day — perfect for integrating days of the week into your daily routine. Point to the day as you read the story and watch your students make connections!

3 Easy and Engaging Classroom Activities: These hands-on activities are teacher-tested, kid-approved, and pair perfectly with our collection.

1. Caterpillar Food Hunt: Hide the fruit and food cutouts from our decor set around the room. Have students find and sequence them in order. It’s a sneaky way to reinforce ordinal numbers and reading comprehension.

2. Lifecycle Craft Station: Set up a butterfly lifecycle craft using playdough, pasta, or felt pieces. Display their creations under our lifecycle posters to reinforce learning through art and display.

3. Write a Class Book: “The Very Hungry [insert an animal / insect of choice]”: Each student writes and illustrates a page for the new class book. What would the animal eat on Monday? This hits literacy, creativity, and gives you the cutest classroom book to display.

Why This Collection is More Than Just Classroom Decor

We design classroom resources for teachers who care — about aesthetics, but also about learning. The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ collection is more than just cute — it supports curriculum goals, encourages storytelling, and helps build a warm, engaging classroom culture.

Explore the full range here - and enjoy a scroll of this limited edition collection.

Whether you're a first-year teacher or a seasoned educator, this collection gives you tools that look great, work hard, and save time.

Ready to Transform Your Classroom?

Explore the full The Very Hungry Caterpillar™ Collection and get inspired to create a classroom your students will remember.