Storytelling and Play: Celebrating Very Hungry Caterpillar Day 2025 with Edx Education

/in , ,

Dear Educators, Parents, and Caregivers,

Get ready to celebrate a beloved childhood classic! The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day is nearly here—March 20, 2025, marks the special day where families, educators, and caregivers around the world celebrate Eric Carle’s iconic storybook. At Edx Education, we champion the importance of storytelling, interactive learning, and hands-on educational toys in early childhood development.

This year, we are excited to introduce new ways to enhance learning through play with Edx Education’s range of engaging and innovative educational toys. Whether at home or in the classroom, our high-quality learning resources encourage creativity, problem-solving, and early STEM skills through play-based activities inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Why Storytelling is Vital in Early Childhood Education

Reading and storytelling play a fundamental role in cognitive and language development. Books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar introduce young learners to key early literacy concepts, sequencing, counting, and an understanding of nature and life cycles. Through interactive storytelling and hands-on learning, children can:

  • Develop essential vocabulary and communication skills.
  • Enhance emotional intelligence and empathy through character engagement.
  • Build problem-solving and creative thinking abilities.
  • Strengthen their imagination by integrating books with play-based learning.

At Edx Education, we believe that integrating books into educational play creates a strong foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Our range of open-ended toys supports interactive storytelling, numeracy, sensory exploration, and fine motor skill development.

Enhancing Learning Through Play: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Activities

To celebrate Very Hungry Caterpillar Day, we encourage families, educators, and caregivers to combine storytelling with hands-on educational play. Here’s how you can bring the story to life using Edx Education’s best educational toys:

1. Sensory Exploration with Sand & Water Play

Transform storytime into an interactive experience with the Green n Play Desktop Water Tray. Fill it with toy fruits, floating objects, or textured materials that reflect elements of the book. Water play supports sensory development, early science skills, and creativity, allowing children to explore textures, buoyancy, and movement while reinforcing key storytelling concepts.

2. Counting & Sorting with Rainbow Pebbles®

Early numeracy skills come to life with Rainbow Pebbles®, a fantastic tool for counting, sorting, and sequencing. Children can recreate the caterpillar’s journey through the days of the week by stacking pebbles, matching colors, and learning about number recognition in a hands-on and engaging way.

3. Creative Story Retelling with Linking Cubes

Encourage children to retell The Very Hungry Caterpillar story by building their own caterpillar, fruits, or butterfly using Linking Cubes. Open-ended construction play supports problem-solving, logical thinking, and fine motor skill development. It’s also a fantastic way to strengthen sequencing and memory retention through hands-on storytelling.

4. STEM Discovery with MyGears®

Explore movement, transformation, and basic mechanics with MyGears®, introducing young learners to STEM learning through creative play. Build a moving caterpillar or a spinning butterfly to explore the concepts of cause and effect, mechanical motion, and early engineering while reinforcing the story’s themes of transformation and growth.

Join the Global Celebration of Very Hungry Caterpillar Day!

We invite parents, caregivers, and educators to join the celebration on March 20 by:

  • Reading & Playing: Share photos of children enjoying The Very Hungry Caterpillar and engaging with Edx Education toys using #VHCDay.
  • Getting Creative: Showcase DIY crafts, role-play activities, or storytelling moments inspired by the book.
  • Engaging Online: Tag us on Instagram (@EdxEducation) and Facebook (@EdxEducation) and join the conversation with @WorldEricCarle.