Fly, Fly, Butterfly

What a fascinating science unit it was for the JK’s to observe the four stages of the butterfly lifecycle. Our eventual butterflies arrived to us as ‘cats’ and after a few days of rapid growth, the children carefully transferred their caterpillars to their very own habitat along with food provided. The children came up with creative names for their caterpillars. Some fun names included Mc Fly, Periwinkle and Snooty Wookums. After two weeks of waiting patiently, the caterpillars formed a hard shell called a chrysalis. We did our best not to disturb them as they hung from the roof of the flight cage. What a wonderful experience it was to arrive after the May long weekend to see our butterflies mixing and mingling. Last Monday, we released the butterflies in Marie and Don’s tranquil garden so they could fly and be free. It was a truly magical experience for all. The smallest of all the ‘cats’ (named Annabel by her JK friend Graeme) took her time, and made her debut on Thursday before lunch. The children were all there to witness her transformation. Annabel’s late start illustrated the very important lesson that we all blossom in our own time.

Sara & Meesh
JK Teachers
Children’s Garden School