Bugs

• Fine Motor
• Playdough Bugs: Set out playdough and pipecleaners (cut about 3-4 inches long). Child can take a piece of playdough and form it into the bugs body. The pipecleaners can be used for legs or antennas.
• Large Motor
• Have all the children pretend to be a giant catapillar by hanging on to the child's wais in front of them in a sort of "train". Let the children take turns being the "head" of the catapillar. (submitted by Rae of Grand Forks, AFB)
• Math
• Matching Butterflies file folder game: Supplies: File Folder, contact paper, pictures of butterflies (two of the same design).

To make the file folder game: You can either use pictures from catologs or magazines but you need 2 of each picture. Another alternative is draw a butterfly on poster board to use as your pattern. Trace butterflies on several sheets of different colored construction paper two butterflies to each color. Use markers to add designs to the butterflies if you wish. Cut out the butterflies. Glue on of each design on inside of file folder. Use contact paper to cover both sides of file folder. Also, use contact paper on the remaining butterflies.

The children can match the cut out butterflies to the butterflies on the file folder.

• LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
• Talk to the children about what it would be like to be a bug, If they could be a bug what kind of bug would they be?, etc. Using their replies and such, write a story about children who turned into bug. Add illustrations made by the children. (submitted by Rae of Grand Forks, AFB)
• WATER PLAY
• Bug water play: Add plastic bugs to water table.

• BLOCKS
• Add plastic bugs, frogs, snakes to block area.

• ART

• Fingerprint Bugs: Set out paper, ink pads and colored pencils. Children can use ink pads to ink their fingers and put their fingerprints on the paper. The colored pencils can be used to add details to the fingerprints to make them look like bugs.
• Bug on a leaf: supply each child with a contruction paper leaf shape - give them a hole puncher and let them at it! When they're done punching, have them create the bugs on their leaf with collage materials such as: pom poms, pipe cleaners, yarn bits, etc or they can decorate with markers
• Egg carton caterpillars: cut an egg carton to the length you want, have the children color or paint the cartons, add pipe cleaner antenna and eyes.
• Ink blot butterflies: Cut construction paper into butterfly shapes, have children spoon diff colors on paint onto butterfly, fold in half and press together, open up - beautiful! I use pastel colors.
• Spider Activity: Give kids a black or blue sheet of construction paper and a white crayon. They make a "web" on the paper. Add some spider stickers in the center of the web. (Fran in NJ)
• Lady bug hand puppets: Cut two pieces of felt into oval shapes that are flat on one end - need to fit on hand! Then cut two wings to glue onto felt body. Glue on buttons for spots and wiggle eyes, pipe cleaner antennae. Let kids choose felt colors to make ladybugs for some interesting combos! (Sue in IA)
• Bug catcher: Use oatmeal box with lid - cut large "window" in side - glue or tape screen or netting to inside over hole. Punch two holes in sides to add yarn handle. (Sue in IA)
• Make ant or caterpillar puppets: Use paper bags and have kids cut large circles for sections in bug and glue to paper bag, add face antennae, whatever. Also can make caterpillar puppet on tongue depressor with pompoms glued on, add wiggle eyes or buttons, and antennae. (Sue in IA)
• Bug Eyes: Supplies-Egg cartons pipe cleaners markers and/or paint scissors. Directions-Cut the bottom of the egg carton so there are 2 cups to each section. You can get 6 on a 1 dozen egg carton. Cut the bottoms out of each section for eye holes. Let kids paint them or use markers on them. I've let them glue feathers and sequins on them. Use pipe cleaners for antennas. Punch holes on the sides and attach pipe cleaners, form pipe cleaners to fit around their ears. GAIL in Ok.
• Make a dragon fly: Use a paper towel tube and have them decorate a piece of paper (yellow) that fits around the tube..then tape it. Trace hands (2) and tape one to either side of the tube near the top. Add eyes- large (oval shapped- flat on bottom), so that they are sticking up above top of tube. . Looks like it's clapping it's hands - it's actually flapping it's wings.
• Bulletin board display
• The, bug on a leaf, egg carton caterpillars, and ink blot butterflies, projects together make a great 3D display. Make a giant tree out of green paper for top, paper groc sacks for trunk. Attach all the leafs, caterpillars, and butterflies to the tree

• Sensory
• Add plastic bugs to your sensory table

• Science
• Use bug catchers outside Inside - dead or alive bugs with mag. glasses
• Books to read or add to your reading area
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
• The Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle
• The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent
• Movement
• Move like bugs - fly like a bee, hop like a grasshopper, crawl like a caterpillar etc
• SONGS
• Bringing home a baby bumblebee Eensey Weensey Spider 10 Green and Speckled Frogs
• FINGER PLAYS

Ladybug, ladybug, (move fingers) Let me see your crawl, (crawl slowly on all fours) Hurry after those harmful bugs (move quickly on all fours) But be careful, do not fall! (fall over) Repeat this rhyme several times. (Fran in NJ)

• COGNATIVE
• Ladybug: Show the children a picture of a ladybug. Emphasize that the ladybug helps farmers by eating insects that may hurt our fruits and vegetables. Have the children repeat and act out the following rhyme. Begin by asking the children to stand several feet from one another. (Fran in NJ)
• Snack
• Ants on a Log - Celery sticks filled with either peanut butter or cream cheese, press on raisin "ants"
• Make lemonade, put one (or more!) plastic bugs in it - tell kids you squeezed bugs to get juice! (Sue in IA)
• Use Ritz or similiar crackers, spread cream cheese on one, top with another, add pretzel legs and raisin eyes. (Sue in IA)
• Edible caterpillar: Use one long side of plastic egg carton, in one end put yogurt, pretzel antennae, raisin eyes; in rest of sections place chopped fresh fruit. Dip and eat! Can be math activity if you need to count number of items for each section. (Sue in IA)
• Bug Links (Interesting sites dealing with insects I have found, most are for school-age children)
• The Insects Home Page
• Family Planet: Summer Bug Consternation An Interactive insect game
• Models from Origami Insects This site has instructions for making all sorts of insects with origami paper.

Some of the activites on this page came from an activity day the children and I went to and the others come from a craft sharing group I am part of.

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If you have any other ideas for the "Bugs" theme, you would like to share. I would love to add them to this page