Hungry Caterpillar Rap

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a very special book!  It’s no wonder that it has been such a huge favourite for generations, but the simple, engaging story and bold illustrations capture the imagination and inspire all sorts of creative learning activities.

So of course this catchy Hungry Caterpillar Rap is the perfect song to sing along with all the caterpillar festivities!

Hungry Caterpillar Rap

I am a hungry caterpillar,

I need to eat a lot for dinner,

Munch, munch here, and I crunch, crunch there,

A cabbage, a peach, a plum or a pear,

Crunch-crunch, crunch-crunch wi-ggle, wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

Chomp-chomp, chomp-chomp, wi-ggle wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

Crunch-crunch, crunch-crunch wi-ggle wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

That’s the  way he e- ats his lunch.

*

I climb the corn right up to the top,

Don’t look down and I never stop,

I need to eat because real soon,

It’ll be time to make my cocoon.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch wi-ggle wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

Chomp-chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp wi-ggle wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch wi-ggle wi- ggle, wi-ggle wi- ggle

Then it’s time to build a cocoon.

*

In my cocoon I have a long sleep,

I don’t come out and I never peep,

But when it’s time look up in the sky,

And I’ll be a beautiful butterfly!

Flap-flap, flu- tter, flu- tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter,

Flip-flip, flu- tter, flu- tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter,

Flap-flap, flu- tter, flu- tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter, flu-tter,

That’s the way a butterfly goes!

This rap is so quick and easy to remember as it borrows the catchy tune from the well known song – Down in The Jungle.

You’ll find that kids love improvising with the actions too,  with plenty of crunching and wiggling of the caterpillar and then lots of graceful, flapping and fluttering of the beautiful butterfly at the end.

Listen to the tune here

Why not try this Butterfly Song and craft activity ? It would be a perfect activity to accompany the Hungry Caterpillar Rap,  or there’s this easy little finger puppet craft over at Damson Lane which would also go down very well!  As mentioned above,  there are so many great hungry caterpillar inspired activities that Nicolette over at Powerful Mothering has done an excellent round up of 60+ Play Ideas based on the book.

I hope you enjoy this animated video of this wonderful book as much as I did!

Print Hungry Caterpillar Rap sheet music here 

Check out our Caterpillar & Butterfly themed lesson plan for a 35 minute fun packed music lesson, with lots of fluttering and imaginative movement.

Educational Benefits:

1. Language Development: Singing along with the Hungry Caterpillar Rap increases vocabulary as they’re introduced to an array of fruit and veg (cabbage, peach, plum, pear) and  the appropriate actions (munch, crunch, climb, flap, flutter etc.).
2. Sequencing Skills: The story-like structure of the rap helps children practice sequencing events in order, from the caterpillar eating different foods to building its cocoon and emerging as a butterfly.
3. Motor Skills: Performing the actions such as munching, crunching, wiggling, climbing, and flapping encourages the development of fine and gross motor skills.
4. Creativity and Imagination: The engaging lyrics and lively tune inspire children to use their imagination as they act out the movements of the hungry caterpillar and the graceful butterfly.
5. Understanding Life Cycles: Through the lyrics, children learn about the life cycle of a butterfly, from being a caterpillar, to forming a cocoon, and finally emerging as a butterfly, which introduces them to basic concepts of biology and nature.
6. Musical Learning: Listening to and singing along with the rap introduces and develops the concept of rhythm, tempo, and melody, laying the foundation for musical appreciation and understanding.
7. Cross-Curricular Connection: Accompanying this rap with a butterfly-themed craft activity, and reading the book, provides cross-curricular learning by integrating music with art and creativity and story telling.