This week's fun activity... CATERPILLAR PASTA NECKLACE

Summer is approaching, and with the change in season comes wonderful creatures called caterpillars!   Caterpillars eventually turn into beautiful butterflies – as many children learn from Eric Carle’s book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This week, let’s build our own caterpillar and grow it as big as the hungry caterpillar!

Materials: For colored pasta: Uncooked pasta (hollow/tubular like Penne) Vinegar or rubbing alcohol Food coloring Gallon-sized Ziploc bag For caterpillar necklace: Construction paper Hole punch Yarn Glue Colored pasta

COLORED PASTA DIRECTIONS

Step 1 – Mix Add your dry pasta, vinegar or rubbing alcohol, and food coloring to a Ziploc bag. For reference, a gallon sized bag should hold a full box of pasta; for that much pasta, use approximately ¼ cup of vinegar or rubbing alcohol.  You only need enough to coat each piece.   About 3-4 drops of food coloring (do not use the “gel” kind!) works well, though adding more should result in brighter colors. Tip: to minimize the vinegar smell, try adding some essential oils to the mix!  Rubbing alcohol will evaporate and leave no smell. Once all your ingredients are in the bag, gently turn, mix, and shake to coat each piece and make sure all get colored.

Step 2 - Soak When you're done mixing, let the color absorb for around 30 minutes.  If you’re using vinegar, check periodically to make sure the pasta isn’t getting too soggy and losing shape.   Rubbing alcohol can be left alone for hours, though it isn’t necessary to wait that long.

Step 3 – Dry After the pasta has soaked, pour out any excess liquid.   Then, spread out the pasta on some newspaper to let dry.

CATERPILLAR NECKLACE DIRECTIONS

Step 1 - Cut Cut one inch paper circles out of construction paper.  Use a hole punch to make a hole in the center of each one.  Make as many circles as you want your caterpillar to be long.

Step 2 – Create Cut out a slightly larger circle to use as the caterpillar’s head.   Decorate it, make or cut out eyes, and glue a pair of antennae to it!   Punch a hole so that we can attach it later.

Step 3 - Yarn Cut a length of yarn or string as long as you want the necklace to be. Tip: You can also do this craft on a fuzzy stick pipe cleaner!

‌	Step 4 – Assemble Thread a piece of colored pasta on the yarn.  You may want to wrap tape around the end to make it easier to fit through the holes.   Alternate a piece of pasta with a cut-out circle.  Continue adding pieces until your caterpillar is the length you want.

Step 5 – Add Don’t forget to add the head!

Step 6 - Tie When your caterpillar is complete, tie the ends of the yarn together to complete the necklace!  

YOUR FBBG MEMBERSHIPS  We are renewing memberships remotely. You will receive a temporary card in the mail until we are able to send out membership packets. If you have any questions about memberships, please contact Dkoepsel@fbbg.org You can purchase a membership on-line by clicking here .

We’d love to see your creativity! Tag us on:  Facebook ( Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens )  Twitter (@FBBG) or Instagram (friendsofbbg)  to show off your caterpillar pasta necklace or any of our weekly activities!

Continue to watch for our weekly fun activities for all ages to enjoy!