Eric Carle watercolor spiders, dancing gummy worms, playdough bug fossils, and more!
It’s time for B U G week! This theme is such a hit for little and big kids alike. Adults, too! I am not a huge fan of insects, but I found this theme to be filled with interesting facts, cool art opportunities (culinary, too!) and lots and lots of exploring. My son originally wanted to learn about spiders, but we decided to think more broadly and I’m glad we did. Our week even included a trip to bug museum across the ferry! See my Pinterest Bug Theme Page for all kinds of buggin’ out. Also, bear with me, photos are quite amateur for this post, but they get the idea across.
Let’s get started with some discussion questions to discover what your kids are most interested in learning more about, and use them to guide your teaching and Pinterest-ing:
- What makes an insect or bug? How many legs do different kinds of bugs have and why?
- How is a bug different than a reptile? How about a bird, or a mammal?
- Which kinds of bugs are helpful for the environment? Which kinds help or hurt the garden?
- What types of bugs live in which climates? Which kinds live near us?
R E A D I N G
For bug week, we had to hunt down some items at our local library, but came up with quite the information-rich selection. Another I would add into the mix is the classic Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, which is great inspiration for bug art.
- Insect Detective by Steve Voake: “Right now, all around us, thousands of insects are doing strange and wonderful things: wasps are building nests, ants are collecting food, and dragonflies are readying for the hunt. But it’s not always easy to catch sight of these six-legged creatures; you have to know where to look…”
- The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs by Judy Burris: “Hundreds of stunning photos combined with expert information create an up-close-and-personal tour of the hidden lives of spiders, beetles, butterflies, moths, crickets, dragonflies, damselflies, grasshoppers, aphids, and many other backyard residents. You won’t believe your eyes!”
- Everything Bugs: What Kids Really Want to Know About Bugs (Kids’ FAQs) by Cherie Winner: “Question-and-answer format brings (readers) right to the topics that interest the most. Accessible and photo-packed.―BOOKLIST Clear, full-color photos provide close-up views of various species. This is a fun treat for browsers. ―SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL”
- Eye Wonder: Bugs: Open your Eyes to a World of Discovery by DK: “As you and your child read about insects and explore pictures and activities, you’ll meet poisonous spiders, scary scorpions, an insect that looks like a twig, a butterfly that tastes with its feet, and the bugs that are essential to life on Earth.”
- Insects: Biggest! Littlest! by Sandra Markle: “Here are twenty-one sex-legged wonders from around the world—from the 22-inch-long Giant Stick Insect of Borneo to North America’s Western Pygmy Blue Butterfly, with a wingspan of just a half inch. Huge mandibles, tiny bumps, and other amazing adaptations—big and little—enable each kind of insect to find food, avoid enemies, or fight for mates.”
M E D I A
Media! Devices! Good old fashioned TV! These things, my friends, are the best (and cheapest) babysitters. Lately, my go-tos have been Magic School Bus and the Brains On podcast. For each, I search until finding an episode that is relevant to our theme. Here are a few great options for when you (and the kids) need a brain break:
- A Bug’s Life: Disney does it again. Depending on when you’re reading this, this movie may or may not be free and available through streaming. It’s a great one for kiddos to view a bug’s world from a bug’s perspective- maybe helping them to think twice before squashing a garden creature in the future.
- I love to find a Brains On podcast for every theme that my kids and I do. This podcast is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and is so fun and informative! When things are getting crazy in the car, this podcast makes my kids go silent and they’re totally zoned in, learning. Win-win. This episode has some interesting bug info, and could also work for Garden Theme. Here is another about how animals and insects see the world.
- Magic School Bus: There are tons of episodes on bugs from bees to ants to spiders, and one titled “Bugs, Bugs, Bugs” but you can’t always access all of them on Netflix, so you just have to use your keywords and do some searching.
A R T
Bug art! So many possibilities. We didn’t do a ton, but there are endless opportunities on Pinterest and the interweb, so google garlore, or just use these:
Upcycled Grasshopper Sculpture: We came up with this one on our own, I’m proud to say! My oldest wanted to “build something cool out of garbage” (maybe a nugget he retained from Conservation week? Coming soon…) so we got to work! We really just started with what was available in our house and began to combine objects until we came up with the grasshopper, and I think it turned out pretty great! (All I had to pick up was green spray paint from the hardware store for $5).
Bug Fingerprints: Got stamp ink and a black pen? Then you’re all set for this one! Have your littles make fingerprints, color-coordinating to bugs of their choice (red for ladybugs, yellow for bees, etc), let dry, and add detail using the pen. Depending on their ages, you can guide the drawing as much or as little as they need.
Spiderweb Watercolor Resists, inspired by Eric Carle’s The Very Busy Spider: I actually teach these in my Kindergarten Art class each year during the fall, and there are varying levels of difficulty you could try. Here is a great lesson for all ages (by Lasso the Moon). You’ll want to show them how to draw the web, especially if you’re using a white crayon on white paper. The best part is their amazement as they wash the watercolor over the page and the web appears like magic! If you can, get some liquid watercolor paints for this project (vs. the palette version)- the colors will spread over the page quickly and are so amazingly vivid.
We all know Eric Carle loves a good bug plot line, and here is a great resource that includes art project ideas inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, created by The Realistic Mama. From sponge painting to egg carton sculpture, she’s got you covered on bug crafts.
S T E M (science. technology. engineering. math.) & S E N S O R Y
Bug week is great for all ages, but I think it really appeals to the younger crowd, which makes for a great opportunity to combine science with sensory. Integrate scientific learning with a field trip and go outside to dig in the dirt, hunting for bugs. Learn about fossils through working with playdough, or build a sensory tub from plastic toy bugs (or real ones!) and coffee beans, or even dirt from your garden. The experiential learning opportunities within this topic are abundant.
Build a bug catcher! I scored this idea off of my science teacher colleague, who suggested we bury a cup (we used an old yogurt container) so that the rim is flush with the surface of the dirt. Then, we waited overnight to see which bugs FELL into our trap! We poured the dirt out and examined with a microscope, discussed, and set the bugs free.
Okay, I have huge regrets about letting this one pass us by during bug week, so much so that I might just do it with my guys this week. This Dancing Gummy Worms science experiment by Playdough to Plato will have them so excited, they won’t even ask you if they can “eat just one.” The author also explains how the science behind the action works at the end of the post, and all you need are a few household ingredients and, of course, a bag of gummies.
Playdough bug fossils by No Time for Flashcards: We happened to have these little plastic bugs in our toy stash (here are some from Amazon for around $5), and what parent doesn’t have some playdough in the house? Roll out the playdough (fine motor skill practice, hooray!), lay out the bug, roll again. If you want, you can let them dry (as much as playdough will dry) and keep them on the kid’s dresser to show off for a few weeks.
Insect Sensory Bin by paper-and-glue.com: This is an awesome preschool activity that allows for fine motor skill development when using tweezers to grab bugs. It could also be neat for elementary kiddos if you add real dirt and a microscope. Use the supplies suggested here or make up your own fun combination of bug-related items.
Had to add one more- I love this idea by Still Playing School…Spider Races! You can cut the ring off of plastic spider rings or use the plastic insect toys you already have to do this activity, which doubles as an oral sensory exercise. Grab some straws and kids will blow their spiders down the path- who will win the race? Older kids can measure for an extra challenge.
C O O K I N G
Bug snacks! So easy! Definitely make sure to serve your tiny patrons the old Ants on a Log snack your mom used to make. And here are a few other ideas, too.
Classic Ants on a Log: Peeled banana, peanut butter or Nutella, and raisins (or Craisins, for red ants and picky eaters like my oldest). You’re all set!
Chocolate Chip Strawberry Ladybugs: Just like it sounds. Slice a few strawberries in half, place them on a plate (seeds up) and poke a few chocolate chips into their backside. I added purple grapes for the head (blueberries would also work well). Here is a fun recipe to try, by thesoccermomblog.com.
Dirt: A classic from my childhood, and if you missed out on this one, I’m sorry! We did this dessert for Conservation week as well, but it also works great as a BUG treat. Mix chocolate pudding with crushed up Oreos, and hide gummy worms throughout, and you’ll have some happy kids (and adults) on your hands. Here is a relatively easy recipe for dirt cups by Oh Nuts.
F I E L D T R I P S
For field trips this time around, we took every opportunity to hunt for bugs when we were outside- in our backyard, at the park, and even in the swampy area of our local lake. You should improvise on this one- whatever environment interests you and your family, brings some supplies like a shovel, bucket, and microscope, and EXPLORE!
We also hit up a very cool, new discovery, the Bremerton Bug Museum! If you’re in the greater Seattle area, this one is worth the drive. It’s free, and the place is packed with creatures of all shapes and sizes, including a large ant farm and lots of neat reptiles. They also have a scavenger hunt if you’d like the guidance.
Finally, here is a great Bug Scavenger Hunt (free printable) by My Mommy Style to keep things moving while you’re exploring the outdoors. Have fun!
