Spring is not only the perfect time to explore butterflies, but it is also the perfect time to make an edible butterfly life cycle. Months of candy filled holidays leave us all with a large pile of candy stored in cabinets. Put some to good use in the name of edible science. This is science and STEM you can eat!

MAKE AN EDIBLE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE SCIENCE ACTIVITY

CANDY SCIENCE AND AN EDIBLE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

I love to find fun ways to incorporate the items we have in our house! It’s the best way to make science experiments and STEM activities affordable and also fun for the whole family.

We have sort of ended up storing all our leftover candy from the past holidays, and I find that there are a ton of cool science and STEM activities you can do with candy. Kids have fun and consume far less sugar this way!

SKITTLES SCIENCE is always a favorite as well as our MARSHMALLOW SLIME

If you don’t have leftover candy in the house, it’s a good opportunity to surprise your kids with a few candy STEM activities like this edible butterfly life cycle science activity. Building edible structures is a also a fun non candy alternative

If you want to add a few activities to explore animals and nature, this edible butterfly life cycle activity is so much fun!

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT: Candy Science Activities for Kids (for more ways to use candy)

Let’s explore the 4 stages of the life cycle of the butterfly by creating your own edible butterfly life cycle. This is a great science activity for older kids who will have fun designing the different stages and manipulating the candy.

4 STAGES OF THE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

There are 4 stages that make up the metamorphosis that occurs during the life cycle of a butterfly.

EGG

Butterfly eggs are usually round or oval (depends a bit on the species of butterfly), and you will find them on leaves. Go ahead and make a leaf for your butterfly too!

LARVA (CATERPILLAR)

A caterpillar emerges from the egg and needs to eat just like the famous very hungry caterpillar. FUN FACT: Caterpillars need to eat the leaf they are born on, so the leaf has to be something it will actually eat.

PUPA (CHRYSALIS)

This is the magical part of the butterfly life cycle! Everything that makes a butterfly is rapidly forming during this stage. It’s not just about the bright wings. Did you know that the organs are also changing?

ADULT

A beautiful adult butterfly emerges ready to take on the world. Once the butterfly is up and flying (takes a couple hours for it to rest and gain the strength and dexterity needed), the cycle will start all over gain.

This butterfly will fly off in hopes to reproduce and lay more eggs on more leaves that will be eaten, making another new caterpillar who transforms into another butterfly who will start the cycle all over again.

Lucky for us we can learn a little bit about the butterfly life cycle while we make our own edible butterfly life cycle for a neat biology activity.

LET’S MAKE AN EDIBLE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

You are going to want to sort out your candy for taffy types and other candy that you think can be molded and formed into shapes. Chocolate or hard/powder candy won’t work well for manipulating, but might make a good body or head.

I picture tootsie rolls and starburst for a Monarch Butterfly… However, try to make it a use what you have science activity too.

SUPPLIES

Marker
Candy (dollar stores and even grocery stores have $1 bags of candy good for so many STEM ideas!)
Paper plate

HOW TO MAKE

This part is the creative part for your kids. They can use their design skills and their imagination and craft their own models of the 4 stages. Of course you can also just follow along with our pictures, but you will probably have different candy choices.

You may find a rolling pin handy or even play dough tools if you still have those available!

Do some research and find out what colors and shapes to use if you want to add an extension to the activity!

Check out our examples of the butterfly life cycle below!

STAGE 1: BUTTERFLY EGGS

STAGE 2: CATERPILLAR (LARVA)

Licorice make great little antennas!

STAGE 3: CHRYSALIS OR PUPA

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STAGE 4: ADULT BUTTERFLY

EXTENSION: LABEL THE PARTS OF YOU EDIBLE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE SCIENCE ACTIVITY

Whether you want to choose to use the words: adult, eggs, caterpillar, and chrysalis or you choose to use: adult, eggs, larva, and pupa is up to you.

Grab a aper plate and lay out your creations to form the life cycle. Use a marker to rite in the different stages and make sure to talk about the awesome metamorphosis that takes place.

You can get even more creative and draw scenery on your plate. Try drawing a leaf for the egg to sit on, a piece of leaf for the caterpillar to munch, a small branch for the chrysalis to hang from, and a beautiful sky for the adult butterfly to fly off into!

ENJOY MAKING AN EDIBLE BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE THIS SEASON!

You may also want to check out these AWESOME KIDS SCIENCE ACTIVITIES for more ideas!