Letter C Lesson Plan for Preschool: Creative Caterpillar Crafts & Sensory Activities

Discover a complete, hands-on lesson plan for preschoolers and toddlers all about the letter C! Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this guide is packed with creative, multi-sensory activities. Your child will love making a caterpillar craft, playing with a car and crunchy pasta sensory bin, and decorating a cookie. Perfect for parents and educators, this lesson plan helps teach letter recognition, the /k/ sound, and fine motor skills in a fun and engaging way.

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Lesson Plan: C is for Creative Caterpillar!

Materials Needed:

  • Art Supplies: Green, red, and white construction paper; a paper plate; child-safe scissors; a glue stick; two googly eyes; several cotton balls; a black crayon or marker.
  • Sensory Play: A small bin or tray; a handful of toy cars; uncooked, "crunchy" pasta (like macaroni or rotini).
  • Snack Time: A simple, round cookie (like a sugar cookie or shortbread); a few colorful sprinkles.
  • Movement & Story: A copy of the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle; a speaker for music.
  • Letter Props: One large letter 'C' cut from cardboard or paper, big enough to trace with a toy car.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, C will be able to:

  1. Point to the letter 'C' when shown.
  2. Practice making the /k/ sound for 'C'.
  3. Creatively engage with objects that start with the letter C (Caterpillar, Car, Cookie, Cloud, Cotton).

Lesson Activities

1. Warm-Up: The 'C' Chant and Story (5 minutes)

  • Activity: Sit with C in a cozy spot. Show him the large letter 'C'. Say, "This is the letter C! It makes a /k/ sound, like /k/ /k/ cat!"
  • Chant & Action: Make your hand into a 'C' shape. Chant together, "C is for C! /k/ /k/ /k/!" while opening and closing your 'C' hand like a mouth. Encourage him to copy your hand shape and sound.
  • Story Time: Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar. As you read, point to the caterpillar and emphasize the /k/ sound. "Look at the colorful /k/ /k/ caterpillar!"

2. Main Activity 1: Crafty 'C' Creations (10 minutes)

This activity provides two simple, hands-on ways to connect with the shape and sound of 'C'.

  • Cotton Ball Cloud:
    1. Give C a piece of blue or white paper.
    2. Show him how to pull apart cotton balls and talk about how they feel soft, like a cloud. "C is for cloud!"
    3. Help him put dabs of glue on the paper in a 'C' shape and let him stick the cotton balls on to make his fluffy cloud.
  • Caterpillar on a Plate:
    1. Provide C with the paper plate and several pre-cut circles from the green construction paper.
    2. Show him how to glue the circles in a curved line (a 'C' shape!) to make the caterpillar's body.
    3. Let him glue a red circle for the head and add the googly eyes. Use the marker to draw little legs.
    4. As he works, keep repeating, "You are making a creative /k/ /k/ caterpillar!"

3. Main Activity 2: Car and Crunch Sensory Play (10 minutes)

This activity focuses on movement and sound to reinforce the letter.

  • Car Track 'C':
    1. Place the large letter 'C' cutout on the floor.
    2. Give C a toy car. Say, "Let's drive the car on the C!"
    3. Guide his hand as he drives the car along the curve of the letter. Make car sounds together. "The car starts here and curves around the C!"
  • Crunchy Construction Zone:
    1. Bring out the sensory bin with the uncooked pasta.
    2. Let C explore the pasta with his hands and the toy cars.
    3. Encourage him to scoop, pour, and listen to the sound. "Wow, that pasta is so crunchy! /k/ /k/ crunchy! C is for crunchy."

4. Wrap-Up: Cookie Celebration (5 minutes)

  • Activity: After washing hands, present C with a plain, round cookie.
  • Decorate: Let him add a few colorful sprinkles to his cookie. This is great for fine motor practice.
  • Connect and Conclude: As he enjoys his snack, review the day. "C, you ate a yummy /k/ /k/ cookie! We made a caterpillar, drove a car, and played with crunchy pasta. Everything today was for the amazing letter C!"

Differentiation and Adaptation

  • If C is losing focus: Choose just one craft and the snack activity. The goal is positive exposure, not completion. You can always do the other activities another day.
  • To add more challenge: While playing, ask C, "Can you find something else in the room that is the color of the caterpillar?" or "Can you help me count the circles on your caterpillar?"
  • For motor skill support: Use a glue sponge instead of a glue stick for less mess and easier application. For the cookie, place the sprinkles in a small bowl to make them easier for little fingers to pick up.