Early learning
My Very Hungry Caterpillar
Toddlers hatch, feed and look after Eric Carle’s caterpillar until he turns into a butterfly.
My Very Hungry Caterpillar turns Eric Carle’s famous character into a small friend to care for. It opens with an egg to tap, and from there kids help him find food, feed him and settle him down when he yawns. The garden seems to grow over time, with flowers to plant, fruit to pick, shapes to sort, pictures to paint, rubber ducks and goldfish to sail with, treasure to dig up and a swing to push. Something new apparently turns up each day, and eventually he spins a cocoon and emerges as a butterfly. The rhythm resembles looking after a pet, and the collage art is unmistakably Carle. It looks pitched squarely at two- and three-year-olds, more than at older kids drawn to quick, busy games.
- Ages
- Ages 2–5
- Works on
- iPhone and iPad app; Android app; Amazon Fire app
- Topics
- Early learning, Nature, Creative play
- Languages
- English, Arabic, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian
- Listed
- 2026-10-18
What kids do
- Hatch the caterpillar from his egg
- Feed him and tuck him in
- Plant flowers and pick fruit
- Dig for buried treasure
- Watch him become a butterfly
Who it suits
Ages 2–5. The publisher provides this age guidance.
Notes for parents
StoryToys worked with the Eric Carle estate on this one. Care tasks look picture-led with no reading involved, and the routine seems to unfold a little each day.
What you need
- iPhone, iPad, Android or Fire tablet
Visit My Very Hungry Caterpillar
More Early learning
- Khan Academy Kids: An early-learning app of books, reading and math activities, videos and creative play.
- PBS KIDS Games: Games and videos from PBS KIDS programs, gathered in one browser destination.
- Sago Mini School: Preschool counting, tracing, drawing and puzzle activities set around everyday topics.
- Montessori Preschool: A Montessori-inspired app covering early reading, numbers, art and practical-life activities.
- ABC Kids – Tracing & Phonics: Children trace capital and lowercase letters, hear the sounds they make and match letter shapes.
- Kiddopia: Number and language games share the app with pretend jobs such as chef, doctor, farmer and musician.
- HOMER: Fun Learning For Kids: Letter activities, stories, number games and creative tasks are arranged into a single learning path.
- Lingokids: Games, stories, songs and movement activities touch on number sense, literacy, science and everyday social skills.