Hungry Caterpillar Book-Inspired Speech Therapy
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Speech & Language Activities
There are few children’s books that I love AS MUCH as I love the Very Hungry Caterpillar. It is a story that is often familiar in children’s homes and is a quick favorite in classrooms, homes, and speech therapy.
There are endless resources and materials online to create an entire educational unit around this book. The book itself contains wonderful vocabulary, repetitive phrases, great visual supports, and a simple sequence. All of these elements make it an ideal book for speech and language therapy.
Each September, we lean into this book in our clinic and enjoy teaching the butterfly life cycle, food vocabulary, sequencing, and more.
We’ve created new resources to help grow this unit in our clinic and want to share them with you. Keep scrolling to explore speech resources, language resources, open ended activities, and FREEBIES.
Speech Activities
Hole-y Articulation Hungry Caterpillar Worksheets (left above)- A one-page 100 trial worksheet for every speech sound, including blends. Each worksheet includes a speech sound in all positions (initial, medial, and final) with opportunities for 100 trials. All you need is the one-page printable and a hole punch. Try with markers, crayons, or dot markers to mix it up.
Hungry Caterpillar Play Dough Smash Mats - Speech Mats (right above) - This activity includes 8 reusable smash mats to pair with the book. The download includes articulation targets and ways to incorporate speech targets into play dough play. The download also includes language targets!
Language Activities
Feed the Caterpillar Language Game - Target synonyms, antonyms, past tense verbs, irregular plurals, and MORE with this language game. The download includes color and B&W activities to target 10 different language concepts. Cut the food and feed the caterpillar as you target the concepts.
Hungry Caterpillar Sequencing Hat FREEBIE - Target sequencing concepts related to the story with this cut and paste craft. This activity is great to encourage home carryover with parents. The visuals on the hat allow for parents to easily ask about the story and provide an opportunity for students to retell the story and discuss the sequence.
3. Hungry Caterpillar Following Directions Receptive Language Activity - Target one step directions, two step directions, positional concepts, and temporal concepts in one download. Use a cut and paste activity for individual or group sessions and a bonus coloring page to target additional directions or send home for a carryover activity.
Open Ended Activities
Very Hungry Caterpillar Sensory Bin - This bin is TOO cute and is a perfect activity to start a therapy session, provide a brain break, or as a center in a classroom. Materials include: green-dyed pasta (vinegar + green food coloring), play food, play dishes, and printables from the smash mat download. There are many ways to incorporate speech and language goals into a sensory bin activity as well.
If you’re loving all of these activities, we have a great BUNDLE for you. There are five products in one bundle to allow you to target speech, language, and more.
Very Hungry Caterpillar PINTEREST Board
If you need more inspiration, we have curated a Pinterest board full of activities, crafts, ideas and freebies all related to our favorite Eric Carle book. Check it out and have fun!
Very Hungry Caterpillar Speech and language BUNDLE
Limit your planning by grabbing our bundle and adding the Eric Carle book. You’ll have plenty of activities for so many students on your caseload. Have fun!
Let us know how you’re incorporating the Hungry Caterpillar into your sessions! We love connecting via socials. Click below!
