Place objects such as the fruit, food, caterpillar, leaf, number and days of the week in a bag with the story The Hungry Caterpillar.

Ways to develop numeracy through play

• Include books that have numeracy concepts.
• Include books that echo familiar counting songs, eg Five Little Ducks.
• Include items that may be sorted or classified.
• Include opportunities to make patterns.
• Count in other languages.

Ways to develop literacy through play

• Read the book.
• Provide props that allow families to retell the story.
• Talk about the pictures with your child.
• Ask questions, eg Why do you think that the caterpillar was so hungry?
• Include question prompts and extension activity ideas in the bags.
• Use the props to sequence the story.

• Set up a story on a table with the props at playgroup.
• Make a sensory tub using the props from the bag.
• Collage or draw or paint a character from the story, eg a caterpillar or a butterfly.
• Dress up as characters from the story and act it out, eg Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Play prompts:

• Talk about the pictures with your child.
• Ask your child to tell the story in their own words.
• Act out the story using the props (toys) on the table.
• Use words such as beginning and end, start, middle and finish, title and author.

Ask questions, like:

• Ask what is your favourite part?
• What happened next?

Parents or carers can:

• Comment on what their children are doing (say what they see).
• Tell the story in their home language.
• Use literacy and numeracy words (see words to use section above).
• Sit with their child and read the story.
• Ask questions about the story.
• Act out the story using the props.
• Borrow the packs to take home and read.

You can help families by:

• Modelling what you want them to do.
• Talking to them about the focus of the activity and what children might be learning.
• Writing up words that go with the activity.
• Making suggestions on what families can do at home.

Great Start activities are for parents and carers to do with their children.

• Fabric of life
• Storytelling stones
• Telling stories
• Reading together