What your Preschooler will Learn:

- The life cycle of a butterfly (a caterpillar turns into a cocoon and then into a butterfly)

- Counting down to Christmas

What you'll need for the Advent Calendar:

- Construction paper

- Scissors

- Cotton Balls

- Markers and/or paint

- Glue

- Stapler (optional)

- Decorative materials such as markers, paint, chalk, glitter, glue

What to do for the Advent Calendar:

Step one: Cut a wiggly, cylindrical shape out of your construction paper. It should be similar to a long balloons clowns make balloon animals out of. You're going to be gluing a cotton ball onto it each day until Dec. 24th so make sure it's long enough to fit enough cotton balls.

Step two: Make a happy caterpillar face on one side of your caterpillar.

Step three: Have your preschooler color the cotton balls using the markers or the paint.

Step four: Create two cocoon shapes for your caterpillar. It should be wider and longer than your caterpillar. Glue or staple your two cocoon shapes together, leaving one side open so you can place your caterpillar inside the cocoon. Write Dec. 24th on it. Have your preschooler decorate it using markers, crayons, glitter and whatever they want. Put it in a safe place. You won't need it until Dec. 24th.

Step five: Cut a butterfly pattern out of your construction paper. If you are having difficulty, fold a piece of paper in half, and cut a B-shape out of it, being careful not to cut along the folded side. Glue a small circular head and two small antana to the top. Have your preschooler decorate your butterfly using markers, paint and glitter. If your preschooler is old enough, have them only decorate only one half of their butterfly using paint and then fold the other half down so the butterfly's two halves are the same. Put your butterfly in a safe place. You won't need it until Dec. 25th.

Step six: Each day help your preschooler glue a cotton ball to your paper caterpillar. On Dec. 24th help your preschooler slide the caterpillar into the cocoon. When your preschooler isn't watching, replace the caterpillar with the butterfly they decorated. On Dec. 25th, whenever you have a free moment, explain how the caterpillar changed into a butterfly.

Variations on the Advent Calendar:

Modify this preschool bug activity for whatever winter Holiday you celebrate.

Hi! I'm Theresa Halvorsen, the preschool science and nature writer for Preschoolrock.com. I have twin boys and am blown away by their fascination with preschool science and how the world works around them. I am always looking for fun and simple science activities so preschoolers can learn about science and the natural world. Please contact me with any suggestions, ideas or questions you have about this site.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Always ask "What do you think will happen?" before running an experiment. Prediction is the core of scientific thinking, and preschoolers' predictions are always worth hearing.

• Repeat experiments multiple times. Reliability — the same result happening consistently — is a key scientific concept, and repetition gives preschoolers the proof they find satisfying.

• Science is everywhere: the kitchen, the garden, the bathroom, the driveway. Narrating daily life as science keeps curiosity active between formal experiments.

• Accept wrong predictions gracefully — "Interesting! The result was different from what we predicted. Why do you think that happened?" Models scientific resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I explain the science behind experiments, or let children discover it?

Sequence matters enormously: always let children observe and wonder before explaining. "What do you notice?" and "Why do you think that happened?" should precede any explanation. If children ask why, give a simple, accurate answer — never give incorrect explanations to protect the mystery. After the child has observed and hypothesized, confirming or expanding their theory with correct information is appropriate and satisfying. Explaining first removes the inquiry that makes science learning durable.

Related reading: See also our color mixing science and our garden science guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🌍 Nature Literacy — Learning the names, habits, and relationships of plants, animals, and natural phenomena builds the nature literacy that connects children to the living world and lays the groundwork for environmental stewardship.
• 📏 Early Math & Measurement — Measuring ingredients, comparing quantities, and observing size changes connects science directly to mathematical thinking — making science experiments some of the richest early math experiences available.
• 😌 Patience & Delayed Gratification — Experiments with delayed results — growing plants, watching crystals form, tracking weather — teach children to wait for outcomes rather than needing immediate feedback, a skill that predicts academic and life success.
• 📝 Recording & Documentation — Drawing what they observe, recording measurements, and noting results gives children their first experience of scientific documentation — and connects science to literacy and numeracy in an authentic context.

Is your preschooler excited for Christmas day? Have they already eaten or inadvertently destroyed their Advent Calendar? Give them a new Advent Calendar and teach your preschooler the life cycle of a butterfly with this fun preschool bug activity.