I saw my first Eric Carle book when I was in kindergarten. It was Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and our class did an art project where we each created a page in the book.
It’s my most memorable art project from elementary school and that book was definitely a favorite growing up.
So, I was really stoked that that story was one of several featured in this Seattle Children’s Theatre production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show!
About The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
As you might guess, this show is based on author/illustrator Eric Carle’s beloved book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which is the story of a caterpillar trying to satisfy his insatiable appetite, on his journey to becoming a full-fledged butterfly.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a bright, bold spectacle, featuring 75 lovable puppets who come to life with the help of the 4 member cast.
In addition to The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this production features the faithful adaption of three additional Eric Carle stories:
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- 10 Little Rubber Ducks
- and The Very Lonely Firefly.
SCT’s Artistic Director, Courtney Sale, shared her enthusiasm for the first production of the season:
“Carle’s incredible commitment to high-quality artistry feels very close to our mission as theatre makers here at SCT. We profoundly believe children deserve excellent arts experiences that nourish their creativity and draw us all closer together.”
Live Theatre UK endorsed the production with:
“Your favorite small person will be changed for the better.”
What My Toddler and Preschooler Thought
ALMOST 2 YEAR OLD
While we’ve taken our toddler to several productions at Seattle Children’s Theatre, this was the first one he was actively engaged with.
I know it says this show is geared for kids ages 3 and older, but I’d say if you have a younger child who has a good attention span, go for it!
My toddler’s eyes lit up when he saw the puppets!
Photo by Elise Bakketun.
His favorite part was when the White Dog came out during the Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? segment. The actors made the dog seem so life-like with his mannerisms and all the tongue wagging!
He also joined in with the call and response segments. He’s not as familiar with the books as my oldest, so it was cool to see how quickly he picked up on the stories!
The plot of the Very Hungry Caterpillar really resonated with him as he immediately rifled through my bag asking to “eat, eat.” (Thank goodness they have a concession table!)
And he enthusiastically clapped at the end of the show! I have a feeling this is just the start of his love of the arts!
4.5 YEAR OLD
My preschooler has been to quite a few productions, so I knew he’d like this one.
He was familiar with a couple of the stories, so he joined in reciting some of the lines. But, the others were new to him and he was glued to the stage.
Photo by Elise Bakketun.
He was equally in awe of the amazing array of puppets as the rest of us! The actors did an awesome job making it seem like the rubber ducks were floating along.
The sweetest part of the show, for me, was when my preschooler was enjoying the show so much that he reached over and hugged is brother!
What I Thought of The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This is definitely one of my favorite children’s productions! It’s brightly colored and is just the right length for little ones.
Photo by Elise Bakketun.
The puppets are incredible! The first one to grace the stage is Brown Bear and it takes two people to “walk” him across the stage. He’s quite large!
And there are puppets on sticks that fly and swim around the stage. My favorite were the fireflies who also lit up the stage!
I thought the show was designed very well. The music and sound effects really elevate the production.
Unlike most puppeteers who wear black to blend in, these actors/puppeteers wear bright white overalls so it’s clear what they are doing.
But, I think what stood out to me the most was that the theatre was PACKED.
Yes, we went on a Sunday morning, so I knew it would be busy. But, it was a sold out show! And that made me smile.
Here’s where I stand on my imaginary soapbox and quickly urge you expose your kids to the Arts. This show inspires kids to get excited about reading, think creatively, and appreciate live theatre.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a great first theatre experience for toddlers and preschoolers!
Photo Ops!
Ok, I totally geek out for photo ops and this show has so many!
When I first walked in, I saw the cute animal cut outs and had to get some quick shots with my kids.
But, then I realized there was a HUGE photo wall with tons of hand-held props! They had food, animals, and the Very Hungry Caterpillar himself!
And at the end of the show, the cast came back on stage with a few puppets and encouraged families to take photos!
Gift Shop
You know I love the gift shop at Seattle Children’s Theatre! The Eric Carle selection did not disappoint.
There were lots of books, plush characters, kids backpacks and more.
And on the other side, they had stuff for their next show: And In This Corner: Cassius Clay.
They also had a 50% off clearance section, just in time for early holiday shopping!
Want To See The Show?
Tickets start at just $15 (and babies under 1 year old are FREE!) The show runs until October 21, 2018.
Since this is the first show of the season, you might consider getting season tickets. The way they do season tickets is really cool!
Basically, you buy a set of tickets (either weekday or weekend) and you have the flexibility to change the date you see the show. That’s super helpful when doing any activity with kids!
Plus, it encourages you to plan a fun family outing!
Thanks to the Seattle Children’s Theatre for providing tickets in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Other Cool Things to do in Seattle with Kids
6 Tips for Enjoying the Pacific Science Center with Toddlers
How Kid-Friendly is the Seattle MoPOP Museum?
The Newest Seattle Tour Bus is FREE
Seattle Ice Cream Cruise for Kids
Take a Seattle Argosy Cruise to Kid-Friendly Tillicum Excursion
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56 Comments
I love the book, so I am sure the play is awesome! Certainly looks like fun.
It’s so well done!
I don’t know. This looks like one of those shows the kids would love as toddlers but I would dislike. I have never heard of it until this blog post. My kids are past the toddler years but I do have an infant grandson now.
Hopefully he’ll be interested in seeing shows like this in a few years!
Brown Bear and The Hungry Caterpillar are some of son’s favorite books when he was younger. He would have enjoyed watching this show! 🙂
Totally! It was really beautifully done!
This looks like it would be very fun and engaging for little ones! I am glad you enjoyed it so much, and the part where one kid hugged the other is so swert. I bet it melted your heart!
It totally melted my heart! They are the sweetest (most of the time!)
What fun! I read this book to my son hundreds of times!
Haha! I know the feeling!
I don’t have kids but this looks like a fun family activity
It was a great way to spend our weekend!
Oh wow my daughter would LOVE this it’s one of our favourite story books! She can’t believe how much he eats lol
Haha! My kids love it too!
Awwww this is the cutest! I used to love the hungry caterpillar when I was a kid, this is so perf!
I know, right? And they did a good job with the music, too!
Wow! This is amazing! As a child, Eric Carle was one of my favourite authors… I just loved his books, especially the Hungry Caterpillar!
It’s a total childhood favorite!
My kids and I enjoy this book, to see a live show about the book would be awesome. I know the boys would love too
I love seeing books come to life like this!
This looks like an incredible show with amazing puppets!
Our whole family enjoyed it!
It looks like you all had a great time! I remember reading this story when I was little and now passing it along to my son. I’m sure he would love this show as well, I’ll have to look into it for him. Thanks for sharing!
Isn’t it cool to be able to pass along great books to your kids? I love it!
I remember reading The Hungry Caterpillar as a child. I bet this show was a lot of fun and I bet children would love it.
Yes! Such a cute story that really comes to life with the puppets!
Oh, how wonderful. Both mine LOVED The Very Hungry Caterpillar when they were small and would have been over the moon to see this show.
It’s really well done and so nostalgic!
My toddler would love this show! The Hungry Caterpillar is one of our favorites.
We always say “but he was STILL hungry!” at mealtime!
My kids love puppet and the very hungry caterpillar show is something that they will really love too. It would be fun when they watch this.
There’s something universal about puppetry!
This is mt first time to heard about it but it sounds like a great show to watch most especially with our kids.
It just debuted in Seattle!
The show looks fun to watch.My kids will surely love this. I haven’t read yet about the book but its very interesting, will find one here. Thanks for sharing!
The book is a total classic!
That sounds like a great show and I am sure my kids would love and really enjoy to watch that show.
It’s visually stunning and the story is easy to follow!
Omg I used to LOVE this book. I would have loved to see a live action play as a kid! Hope your family had a great time :)!
xo, emma
I would have too! That’s why I knew I had to take my kiddos!
This looks like a lot of fun! I can’t wait to our kids are a bit older so we can begin taking them to events and shows like this.
It’s incredible! I LOVE taking my kids to things like this!
This is so cute! I remember reading the books when I was a kid. I had no idea they had a whole theatre production and all that merchandise too! Wow!
I’m kind of obsessed with their gift shop 🙂
This sounds like so much fun for kids! My kids would totally engage with the very hungry caterpillar and be amazed to see it “live”
It was super cool!
Aw! i remember when i first read this book as a kid! Cant believe they are actually making plays about it now ! Looks like an awesome idea, thanks for sharing!
Yes! I love it when books come to life because it encourages more kids to care about reading!
This looks like so much fun for toddlers and adults too. I love the bright colors and cute photo opps!
Right? I think I enjoyed it as much as my kiddos!
This sounds so great I am sure my 5 year nephew will enjoy it as much as his mommy 🙂 I will share this with them!
Thanks for sharing! Hope they are inspired!
Wow, I didn’t realize that this was in Seattle! I will have to pass this along to my mommy friends for something fun to do on the weekends 🙂
It just launched a few weeks ago and it’s such a great production!
Great time for the kids … wonderfully put together.
I know, right? Very well done!