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Hoppers Movie Review & Learning Activities

We recently saw an early release of the Disney & Pixar'd movie, Hoppers. Some kids’ movies are made to distract. Others quietly invite children to think more deeply about the world around them. Hoppers lands firmly in the second category. At first glance, it looks like a fast-paced animated adventure. But beneath the humor and movement is a story that challenges kids to consider perspective, responsibility, and what it really means to interact with nature rather than simply observe it. Animation Review: Visual Storytelling That Serves the Message The animation in Hoppers does far more than entertain. Because the story centers on a human consciousness transferred into a robotic animal body, the film relies heavily on movement, sensory cues, and point-of-view shifts to communicate meaning. The camera drops low to the ground. Sounds feel sharper. Reactions are instinctual rather than verbal. Animals move like animals, not humans in costumes. For children, this makes the...
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How to make a Quick Simple Butterfly

As I mentioned in a previous post, I really like the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, so much so that I’ve read it to my kids quite a few times. They’ve also read the Moonlite edition, played The Very Hungry Caterpillar game, watched the video short on YouTube and listened to Michelle Obama read the story. 

Needless to say it is a favorite and they can easily spot and identify a caterpillar and butterfly. It was no surprise then, when one morning when I was showering, I heard my 3 year old screaming with delight ‘Mommy, Mommy butterfly!’ 

Hungry Caterpillar game
The surprise was that the screaming and excitement lasted a full 10 - 15 minutes. This made me think a neighbor had just gifted them a new butterfly toy.


When I finally got dressed I heard the full cause for excitement. An orange butterfly got trapped in our screen door and was fluttering around for their little viewing pleasure, until their Dad freed it. 

Their excitement was so palpable that I had to build on the moment and create some simple one dimensional butterflies to add to their learning fun. 

My 3 year old's butterfly art and craft
My 3 yr old's butterfly art work

Here’s what we used to make our very own butterflies:

Materials 

  • Coloured Card stock paper 
  • Coloured popsicle sticks
  • Crayons
  • Coloured wool
  • Scissors
  • Glue 
  • Googley eyes
  • Your Imagination!

Steps

1. Paste the popsicle stick on the card stock paper

2. Draw a big number 3 on both sides of the stick.

3. Draw two antennas at the top of the stick and paste two googly eyes or dried peas. 

4. Colour and decorate with crayons, glitter and wool!

My 2 yr old's butterfly artwork



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