For Everyone
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Activities
Bug Museum
Create bug sculptures and labels for a bug museum display.
Materials
- Found materials for art constructions, such as boxes, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, empty spools of thread, pipe cleaners, twigs
- Glue
- Paint
- Markers
- Buttons
- Sequins
- Stickers
Directions
Join your child in talking, reading, and learning about insects and spiders. The books in Related Books are a good place to start. Then encourage your child to make bug sculptures, informed by what he or she has learned about insects and spiders. Boxes, toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, or empty spools can become bodies and heads. Pipe cleaners, twigs, or strips of paper can become antennae and legs (six for an insect, eight for a spider). Wings can be cut from newspaper, aluminum foil, Styrofoam trays, or the clear plastic used in envelope windows. Eyes and other features can be added with paint, markers, buttons, stickers, et cetera.
Help your child create a museum display label for each bug, with the name of the bug followed by information about where it lives, what it eats, and how it behaves.
Talk About It
Look at pictures of bugs and talk about their body parts. The books listed in Related Books are good sources for pictures and information. Help your child count and note that insects have six legs and, spiders have eight legs.
Go outside and look for ants and other insects. Take time to watch and talk about their looks and behavior.
Related Books
Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
Eyewitness Explorers: Insects by Steve Parker
The Icky Bug Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta
Age Range: 4-6
Skills/Subjects:
- Creative Expression (Art)
- Language and Literacy Development
- Science
Related Episodes:
