Heart Caterpillar

Tip 1:  Include the message "Wiggle on over here and give me a hug!"

Tip 2:  Glue the heart animal paper craft to the front of a folded over piece of construction paper or a doily to make a cute Valentine's Day card.

Thanks to Kim for
sending this in!

Tip 3:  Purchase fancy paper from the scrapbooking store and print the B&W version onto this for an extra fancy Heart Animal.

Tip 4:  Scotch tape a straw or popsicle stick to the bottom to make a caterpillar puppet.

Tip 5:  Glue a small piece of sandpaper on the back to make a felt board character.

Tip 6:  Cut construction paper into 4 inch wide strips as long as you can make them.  Tape two together to make even longer.  Measure around child's head to make a construction paper 'crown'.  Glue Heart Animal to front of the crown to make a Valentine's Day hat.

Materials:

• printer,
• paper,
• glue,
• something to color with,
• scissors.

Instructions:

• Print out the craft template of choice.
• Color the hearts (if making the black and white craft).
• Cut out the template pieces.  (The pieces on the template are at about the angle they will be on the finished craft. That should help you sort out which pieces belong where).
• Glue pieces together:
   
  • To make the body, stack the smallest hearts one on top of another and glue together.  Position so the hearts are all upside down.
  • Glue the heart with the face onto the top of the body so it's right side up.
  • If doing on a card or background, add the two tiny hearts over the head and draw a line to make the antenna.
  • If not doing on a background, just skip the antenna.

Option for mass-producing - young children:  Print out the B&W template.  Trace the pieces onto stiff cardboard (back of paper pads works well) or margarine/ice cream container lids.  Cut out to make permanent templates.   Allow the children to trace these permanent templates onto different colors of construction paper to make their animal

Option for mass-producing - older children:  Omit the templates.  Let the children cut out heart shapes in various sizes from colored construction paper (show them how to fold paper in half and then cut to make a perfectly symmetrical heart).  Let the children create their own animals by putting together hearts of different sizes (you can pre-make a few example animals to give them some inspiration).