Materials And Equipment

• 5 or 6 cups from a cardboard egg carton
• 1 piece of string, about 12 inches long
• Bright colored paint
• Paintbrush
• 2 googly eyes
• Glue
• 1 bright colored chenille stem
• Scissors

Directions

1. Cut five or six cups from a cardboard egg carton. Trim rough edges if needed.
2. In all but two of cups, use scissors to make a hole on two opposite sides.
3. In the other two cups, make one hole on one side only. These are the end cups.
4. Thread the string through all six cups to form a line.
5. Tie knots inside the two end cups so the string stays in place. Leave some slack so the caterpillar can bend.
6. Use scissors to poke a hole in the top of the front cup for the head.
7. Let Scouts paint the cups any colors they like. Let the paint dry.
8. Push the chenille stem into the hole on the head to make antennae.
9. Twist the antennae into curls if desired.
10. Glue the googly eyes onto the head. Let the glue dry.

Notes, Safety, And Variations

• Do the cutting and hole punching ahead of time for younger Scouts.
• Review scissor safety before starting.
• Use washable paint and glue.
• Antennae can be curled around a pencil to make it easier.
• Scouts can add spots or stripes with markers after the paint dries.
• This craft works well with themes about insects, nature, or recycling.

For more information, see https://scoutermom.com/261/egg-carton-caterpillar/