Maybe he's no Romeo, but who could resist this leggy love bug? He's also created with easier-to-grasp carrots, making him perfect for little hands to make.
To really speed things along, make several heart stamps and assign each child a color. Pass the cards back and forth, with each child adding a segment to the caterpillar until it's long enough.
Create the heart stamp (a parent's job): choose a nice big carrot and cut it in half. Use the pencil to etch a heart shape into the cut surface, then carve away the surrounding carrot with a paring knife.
Spread a different color of paint on each paper plate
Have your kids print a chain of hearts to make the caterpillar on the index cards. Blot the carrot on a paper towel before switching colors.
After the paint dries, use markers to add legs, a face, antennae, and a valentine message.