The Very Hungry Caterpillar Costume
Bring Eric Carle's beloved children's book character to life.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a beloved children's book character, making this costume a nostalgic favorite for teachers, kids, and parents alike. The look captures the iconic hand-painted collage style of the book with a segmented green body and a bright red headpiece. Whether you buy a plush tunic or craft one from felt, it is an instantly recognizable and heartwarming choice.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~45 min
- Budget
- $15–45
Try it on
See yourself as The Very Hungry Caterpillar
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What you need for a The Very Hungry Caterpillar costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete The Very Hungry Caterpillar costume — one box instead of 6 pieces.
Green segmented body
A bright green tunic, sleeping bag, or long-sleeve shirt decorated with alternating shades of light green, dark green, and yellow-green felt circles to mimic the book's textured collage style.
DIY: Glue overlapping circles of green and yellow felt onto an oversized green sweatshirt.
Red headpiece or beanie
A bright red knit beanie or hood to represent the caterpillar's head.
DIY: Use any plain red winter hat or hood you already own.
Yellow and green eyes
Large oval eyes cut from yellow felt with smaller green felt ovals glued inside, attached to the front of the red beanie.
DIY: Cut the shapes from felt or construction paper and safety-pin them to the hat.
Purple antennae
Two purple antennae made from felt or pipe cleaners, stuffed or reinforced so they stand upright on top of the beanie.
DIY: Twist thick purple pipe cleaners together and sew or hot-glue them to the top of the beanie.
Brown nose
A small brown felt oval or pom-pom attached just below the eyes on the beanie.
DIY: Cut a small teardrop shape from brown felt or fabric and glue it in place.
Brown shoes
Simple brown shoes or boots to match the caterpillar's tiny feet.
DIY: Wear brown socks over your regular shoes.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made The Very Hungry Caterpillar costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Put on a base layer of green pants and a green long-sleeve shirt, or slip on a pre-made plush caterpillar tunic.
- 2
If DIYing, cut large circles from various shades of green and yellow felt and fabric-glue them in an overlapping pattern down the front of your shirt.
- 3
Cut two large oval eyes from yellow felt, and two slightly smaller ovals from green felt. Glue the green ovals inside the yellow ones, then attach them to the front of the red beanie.
- 4
Construct the antennae by wrapping purple felt or purple pipe cleaners around cardboard supports, then sew or hot-glue them to the top of the red beanie.
- 5
Cut a small brown felt teardrop shape for the nose and glue it centered below the eyes on the beanie.
- 6
Complete the look with brown shoes or socks to represent the caterpillar's feet.
Makeup & hair
Keep makeup minimal. If desired, paint a small green leaf or a tiny red caterpillar on one cheek using face paint.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- One partner dresses as the Very Hungry Caterpillar, and the other dresses as a giant strawberry, leaf, or a colorful butterfly.
- group
- A group can dress as the caterpillar alongside the various foods he eats: an apple, pear, plum, strawberry, orange, and a slice of chocolate cake.
- kids
- A cozy fleece sleep sack or zip-up hooded one-piece is perfect for keeping babies and toddlers warm and comfortable.
- Plus size
- A loose-fitting green poncho or oversized green sweatshirt decorated with felt circles offers a comfortable, flexible fit.
- pet
- A green knit sweater with felt segments and a small red hood with purple pipe-cleaner antennae.
More ways people search for this costume
The most-searched variations of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar costume”, and how this look adapts to each.
Hungry caterpillar costume diy
- Skip the store: Glue overlapping circles of green and yellow felt onto an oversized green sweatshirt. Use any plain red winter hat or hood you already own. Cut the shapes from felt or construction paper and safety-pin them to the hat.
Tips
- Use felt or fleece for the DIY elements; these fabrics don't fray when cut, making assembly much faster.
- If making this for a toddler, ensure the antennae are lightweight and securely attached so they don't pull the hat off their head.
- Carry a plush green leaf or a cardboard cutout of an apple with a hole through it as a fun, thematic prop.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar costume FAQ
- How do you make a DIY Hungry Caterpillar costume?
- Use a red beanie for the head and a green sweatshirt for the body. Cut eyes from yellow and green felt, antennae from purple felt, and glue them to the beanie. Add overlapping green felt circles to the sweatshirt.
- What color are the caterpillar's eyes and antennae?
- According to Eric Carle's classic illustrations, the caterpillar has a red head, yellow eyes with green centers, purple antennae, and a small brown nose.
- Is this costume suitable for school dress-up days?
- Yes, it is incredibly popular for World Book Day, Read Across America, and school Halloween parades because it is highly recognizable and teacher-friendly.
Did you know? The Very Hungry Caterpillar was first published in 1969 and has been translated into over 60 languages, selling a copy roughly every 30 seconds worldwide.