We chose this brand because it supports the 'book-to-toy' connection. When a child plays with a toy version of a character they have read about, it deepens their comprehension of the story. The high-contrast colours used in Carle’s artwork are also scientifically proven to be the easiest for infants to see and focus on.

We often see toddlers 'reading' to their plush Caterpillar, retelling the story in their own words. This is a critical pre-literacy step. The sequencing aspect of the Hungry Caterpillar story (counting, days of the week, food types) is often built into the toys, allowing children to physically practice these concepts.