• Home
  • BLOG
  • Shop
  • Jarring Science Club Login
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

STEM Activities for Kids- STEAMsational

Science experiments and STEM activities for kids!

  • Home
  • About
  • STEM Activities
  • Science Experiments
  • Jarring Science Club

in STEM Activities· Valentine's Day STEM Activities

What is Caterpillar Coding? Preschool Coding Activities

Save this idea for later!

32shares

Wondering what is caterpillar coding? Read on to find out about this fun coding toy for preschoolers! It’s one of our favorite coding for kids activities for preschoolers.

Try this fun technology-themed Valentine STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar!

Try this fun technology-themed STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar! This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine's fun! #valentinesday #kidsactivities #stemactivities #coding

This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine’s fun!

You can use any coding robot for this activity, but we had a lot of fun using our coding caterpillar.

It was harder than we thought it would be to get the coding caterpillar to reach all the hearts successfully.

If you like this activity, you might also like our Ozbot coding challenges, Valentine binary bracelets, or words of affirmation binary bracelets!

This activity is one of our favorite technology activities for kids!

What is Caterpillar Coding?

Caterpillar coding is a simple coding toy made by Fisher Price. The caterpillar can be told to follow certain commands and patterns to teach a goal. We have an older version of the toy, but there is also an updated version. 

valentine stem challenge cards

Coding Caterpillar Challenge: Follow the Valentine Hearts

My kids had a blast trying to get their coding caterpillar to reach all the hearts!

Try this fun technology-themed STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar! This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine's fun!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you for your convenience. 

What you’ll need for your coding caterpillar challenge:

  • A hard floor
  • A coding caterpillar
  • Construction paper
  • Scissors

For this challenge, I wanted to see if my preschooler (and fifth-grader, later on) could adjust her coding caterpillar so that it would reach all the hearts I spread out onto the floor.

First, I cut out several hearts from paper.

Then, I talked with my kids about what the directions on each coding segment would do.

Next, we tried out each piece individually to see what the exact movement was.

Then it was time to complete the challenge!

Try this fun technology-themed STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar! This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine's fun!

It was kind of hard to get our caterpillar (named Grace Hopper, after one of the first computer programmers) to reach all the hearts! First, my preschooler tried, then my fifth grader joined in. Finally, between the two of them they were able to get Grace to touch all of the hearts.

It took a combination of changing the programming and moving the hearts a bit (because of our limited number of coding pieces) to get Grace to reach every heart.

Try this fun technology-themed STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar! This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine's fun!

Half-way through, her batteries died! But luckily, we had some extras on hand so she was up and running again in no time.

I wasn’t really surprised at how long/how much my kids liked this activity, but I was definitely pleased to see them thinking!

STEM Skills Used in the Coding Caterpillar Challenge

Try this fun technology-themed STEM activity if your kids own a coding caterpillar! This coding caterpillar challenge is filled with Valentine's fun!

We used the following STEM skills when doing this project:

Science: We used the scientific method to determine the best way to get Grace to move.

Technology: Computer programming skills and using Grace Hopper herself!

Engineering: The kids had to design the path for Grace, and in the end, change the course a bit.

valentine stem challenge cards

More Valentine’s STEM Activities

Valentine’s Day STEAM Activities

This Valentine's Day, make these bouncy balls using just borax, glue, and corn starch! Kids will be amazed at how easy it is to make a homemade bouncy ball!

Valentine’s Bouncy Ball STEM Activity

Nothing says Valentine's Day like pink and glitter. Mix them both in this fun Valentine's STEM activity making pink glitter slime!

Valentine’s Day Glitter Slime

Kids can learn common factors between numbers in this super-simple, Valentine's Day themed Venn diagram factors math project!

Valentine’s Day Venn Diagram Fact Families 

Save this idea for later!

32shares

Filed Under: STEM Activities, Valentine's Day STEM Activities Tagged With: valentines day

About Brenda Priddy

Brenda grew up thinking she hated science. But when her 4-year- old daughter was more interested in reading science facts than fairy tales, Brenda realized she had to learn more. Through simple at-home science experiments, Brenda developed a passion for science and now works as a STEMed advocate with a team of science educators to create hands-on STEM projects and curriculum for kids.

« Delightful Kid-Friendly Unicorn Treats They Will Love!
Valentine’s Day Conversation Hearts Math »

What is STEAM?

STEAM activities for kids promote the idea that science, technology, engineering, art, and math can all work together to help kids become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators!

Join us on our journey to discover just how much fun science experiments can be.

Find a STEM activity!

What we do… 

STEAMsational offers STEM and science lesson plans and teaching resources to provide a firm STEM foundation for children in the classroom or home.

All you need to do is find your supplies, gather your scientists, and let the innovation unfold.

RSS Latest Activities

  • How to Build a LEGO Mother’s Day Card with Just LEGO Bricks!
  • 25 Magical Disney Slime Recipes to Make with Kids
  • May STEM Activities for Elementary

Our STEM activities are enjoyed by:

 

Privacy Policy   Store Policies
STEAMsational is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Copyright © 2021 · Market theme by Restored 316