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50 Activities for Playing and Learning with Insects!

October 27, 2012 by Anna Ranson

Do you know any kids who love bugs and all things creepy crawlie?! Here are over 50 fantastic activity ideas for keeping kids busy with their favourite topic, from art and crafts, to learning activities, tasty snacks and really icky sensory play! 

[Conker/ Chestnut Spiderweb Weaving: The Imagination Tree]

Learning Activities:

[Top to bottom, left to right]

Learning with The Very Noisy Cricket [The Educator’s Spin on It]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Play Dough Storytelling [The Imagination Tree]

Incy Wincy Singing Song Sheet [The Imagination Tree]

The Very Noisy Cricket I- Spy Jar [The Golden Gleam]

Bug Spotter Sticks [Sun Hats and Wellie Boots]

Name Caterpillars [No Time for Flashcards]

Art and Craft:

[Clockwise]

Handprint Bee [Red Ted Art]

Blotto Painted Bugs [The Chocolate Muffin Tree guest post on The Imagination Tree]

Egg Carton Spider [Creekside Learning]

Miss Muffet [Toddler Approved]

Spider Web Canvas Art [Sun Hats and Wellie Boots]

Glow in the Dark Spiderweb [Living Life Intentionally]

Spider Craft [NurtureStore]

Fingerpaint Ladybirds [Rainy Day Mum]
Wire Dragonflies [Sun Hats and Wellie Boots]

Spider Pumpkins [Here Come the Girls]

Design a Spider Prompt [Little Wonders Days]

Spider Masks [Creative Family Fun]

[Centre] The Very Hungry Caterpillar Giant Collage [The Imagination Tree]

Science Activities:

[Clockwise]

Lay a Sheet and Shake a Tree [Wildlife Fun 4 Kids]

Choice Chambers [Science Sparks]

Insect Mirror Discovery Box [Sun Hats and Wellie Boots]

Make a Light Up Bug [Mama Smiles]

Sensory Play:

[Top to bottom, left to right]

Jelly(o) Worms [Taming the Goblin]

Bug Slime Spaghetti [The Imagination Tree]

Spider Cider [Momma’s Fun World]

Butterfly Sensory Tub [No Time for Flashcards]

Spiders and Snakes Sand Tray [My Buddies and I]

Bug Sensory Bin [Smiling Like Sunshine]

Frozen Bugs [Exploring Stories]

Motor Skills:

[Top to bottom, left to right]

Silky Spiderweb Weaving and Snipping [Boy Mama Teacher Mama]

Spider Web Gross Motor Game [No Time for Flashcards]

Fine Motor Paper Plate Spider [Momma’s Fun World]

Hula Hoop Spiderweb [Craft to Art]

Spider Web Obstacle Course [Wildlife Fun for Kids]


Investigations:

[Top to bottom, left to right]

Catching bugs [Rainy Day Mum]

Touch a Tarantula [52 Brand New]

Bug Playdate Activities [The Educator’s Spin on It]

Keeping Grasshoppers [Mommy With Selective Memory]

Watching Worms [taming the Goblin]

Studying Insect Camouflage [Mama Smiles]

Treats:

[Clockwise]

Spider Cupcakes [Here Come the Girls]

The Very Quiet Cricket Breakfast [Famiglia and Seoul]

Spider Web Pancakes [Inspired Housewife]

Dirt and Worm Treats [No Time for Flashcards]

Spider Muffin Tin Lunch [JDaniel 4’s Mom]

Books and Printables:

[Top to bottom, left to right]

Minibeast Stories [The Imagination Tree]

Cricket stories  [Here Come the Girls]

Butterfly stories [Sun Hats and Wellie Boots]

Free Bug Pack [3 Dinosaurs]


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Filed Under: Activities, Art and Craft, Books, Bugs, Insects, Knowledge and Understanding, Play Collections, Science

« Leaf Activities for Kids! [from It’s Playtime]
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Comments

  1. Deborah Alter-Rasche says

    October 27, 2012 at 12:29 am

    What a great round-up. I can’t believe we had *nothing* bug related on our blog! lol. We’re missing out. Pinning this list so that I can have ideas for the future 🙂

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      thanks Deborah! I’m sure you’ll have hundreds this time next year with your little chap getting bigger!

  2. Cassie @ 3Dinosaurs.com says

    October 27, 2012 at 12:40 am

    Thanks for including 3 Dinosaurs!

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      you’re welcome! great ideas, thanks!

  3. www.inspired-housewife.com says

    October 27, 2012 at 4:00 am

    Thank you so much for including my spider web pancakes. They were fun to make and the kids thought they were a hit. 🙂 Amee

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      you’re welcome! they look amazing

  4. Rebecca English says

    October 27, 2012 at 7:57 am

    What a fantastic round up.

    I didn’t realise there were so many bug ideas!

    Thanks for including mine.

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      I know! So many great ideas around, thanks!

  5. Cerys @ Rainy Day Mum says

    October 27, 2012 at 9:35 am

    Fantastic – we love bugs (or more accurately I love bugs so the kids have to as well). Thank you so much for including our bug posts 🙂

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      thanks for your fab ideas!

  6. RedTedArt says

    October 27, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Ooh what a fanastic round. Love how you have grouped them all by type of activity. Thanks as always for the Bee feature. Really appreciate it 🙂

    Maggy

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:01 pm

      thanks Maggy! and thanks for your cute handprints

    • RedTedArt says

      October 31, 2012 at 11:03 am

      PS Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

      Maggy

  7. the Monko says

    October 27, 2012 at 12:13 pm

    thanks for including us, great round up, i will be sharing this

    • Anna Ranson says

      October 27, 2012 at 3:02 pm

      thanks for sharing your ideas!

  8. Penny says

    October 28, 2012 at 7:20 am

    I love bugs. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of finding them. There’s so many different varieties out there with vibrant patterns and colours. What a wonderful round up. I’ll have to set aside an hour to go through some of these. I can see my Pinterest boards being filled up as I type!

  9. Boy Mama Teacher Mama says

    October 28, 2012 at 10:30 am

    This is fantastic! Thanks for sharing our idea!

  10. Kim @ The Educators Spin On It says

    October 29, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    Thank you so much for including our Cricket Post, which connect you to so many other insect activities with inspired by Eric Carle. Just pinned this! Off to go explore some spider activities for this week’s fun.

  11. Catherine Collins says

    October 29, 2012 at 10:34 pm

    Thank you so much for including us in your post. Alot of great ideas can’t wait to do some of them. (Momma’s Fun World)

  12. Emma @mummymummymum says

    October 30, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    Fantastic round up! Thanks for including our choice chambers.

  13. Hey Mommy, Chocolate Milk says

    October 31, 2012 at 3:49 am

    Being an entomologist in my former life, I have a special love for all things insect! I would love for you to link this amazing post to my Mom’s Library Link-Up!
    http://heymommychocolatemilk.blogspot.com/2012/10/moms-library-link-up-3-for-me.html

    Thanks and Be Blessed,
    Julie

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About The Imagination Tree Hello and welcome! I'm Anna, Mama of 4, early years teacher and play enthusiast from the UK! Click here to read more about me.

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