DIY Project
About

Recycled

Egg carton caterpillar

A painted strip of egg carton cups becomes a wiggly caterpillar with pipe cleaner antennae.

Egg carton caterpillar
LevelBeginner
AgesAges 3 to 5
Time30 minutes plus drying
Cost$0 to $3
SpringRainy dayGroups

What you'll need

Materials

Tick them off as you find them.

Tools

How to make it

Safety

Googly eyes are a choking hazard, so keep them away from younger siblings.

  1. Step 1: Cut the strip
    1

    Cut the strip

    Grown-up cuts a row of 6 cups from the carton.

  2. Step 2: Paint the body
    2

    Paint the body

    Have your child paint the cups. Stripes or spots both look great.

  3. Step 3: Let it dry
    3

    Let it dry

    Wait about 30 minutes.

  4. Step 4: Poke the antennae
    4

    Poke the antennae

    Poke 2 holes in the first cup with a pencil. Push half a pipe cleaner through each one.

  5. Step 5: Add the face
    5

    Add the face

    Glue on the googly eyes and draw a smile.

Edie's tip

Read a caterpillar picture book while the paint dries.

Written by the DIY Project team. How we check · Report a mistake

More preschoolers projects

Make this next

See all 97

Woven berry basket
Recycled

Woven berry basket

A plastic berry basket woven with ribbon and paper strips becomes a little Easter basket for egg hunts.

Intermediate40 minutes$1 to $5
Nature walk bracelet
Nature

Nature walk bracelet

A loop of tape sticky side out becomes a bracelet your child fills with petals, leaves and seeds on a walk.

Beginner30 minutes, as long as the walk$0 to $2
Toilet roll bats
Recycled

Toilet roll bats

Empty cardboard tubes turn into little hanging bats with scalloped paper wings.

Beginner30 minutes plus drying$0 to $3