Bug Wild: Pest-Themed Summer Activities for Kids

By Vulcan Termite | June 14, 2022

If you have a Mason jar, a net, and proximity to any six-legged creepy crawly, you’re in luck! There are many pest-themed summer activities for kids of all ages to enjoy this summer. Not only are these pest-themed crafts a fun way to keep your children entertained: They also allow them to hone their motor skills and sharpen their minds, especially since school is out for three months!

Here are some fun activities your kids can do this summer:

#1: Homemade Bug Jar

For this craft, you’ll need a Mason jar and some colored paper. Start by having an adult cut out leaves and grass from a green piece of paper. Next, you’ll want to glue that to the jar for decoration. Additionally, adhere googly eyes, an antennae (made from pipe cleaners), and a bug design—we recommend bees or ladybugs—to the lid of the jar. Lastly, let the bug collecting commence! This is an excellent way for kids of all ages to participate in their own, at-home bug hunt.

#2: Colorful Butterfly Mobile

Who doesn’t love butterflies? Their delicate and detailed wings are too beautiful to go unnoticed. This craft is such a fun way for your child to explore their artistic abilities. Simply have them paint a unique, colorful, and potentially sparkly butterfly that has been pre-cut by an adult. Once they are finished and dried up, attach the butterflies to a 12” embroidery hoop with string and hang it from your ceiling.

There are so many creative ways to decorate and set up your mobile that the opportunities are virtually endless. As aforementioned, allow this craft to spark creative liberties in your child! This beautiful craft will look great hung up around your home.

#3: Scavenger Hunt

Do you need to have your kids run around outside and get rid of the energy that’s been building up inside? Print out a list of insects for your kids to look for while they’re playing outside. Not only will they be out of the house for a bit: They will also be working hard to check all the boxes off before their siblings or friends (a little healthy competition is perfect for a hot, summer day!).

Here are some examples of bugs and insects you can include on your scavenger hunt:

Fly;
Mosquito;
Ladybug;
Butterfly;
Spider;
Ant;
Beetle.

Helpful hint: have you child bring their homemade bug jar (reference #1) so they can capture each insect each time they mark it off their scavenger hunt card!

#4: Creepy Crawly Bingo

Perhaps it’s a rainy day and you’re stuck inside. This is an activity that’s perfect for a rainy day kind of scenario. Print out a card with all the creepy crawly insects (and their names underneath each photo as well) and play Bingo! Of course, playing the game is fun, but talking about each insect can be just as entertaining! Your child will be able to look at realistic photos of each insect, making it easier for them to identify in real life!

#5: Snack Attack!

No day is complete without a snack, so create fruit insects! Use the fruit that you have on hand—bananas, strawberries, apples, blueberries, kiwis, and more—to create cute, yet extremely delicious, insects. For example, make caterpillars out of blueberries and toothpicks, butterflies from kiwi slices for wings, and beetles out of apple bodies and blueberry eyes. The ways your child can get creative with this are truly endless, so let them have fun with it!

And if you’re needing a way to make an antenna, use Airheads! Adding peanut butter or Nutella as a form of glue will help as well. Your kids will love the addition of these sweet treats to their fruity insects.

Create More! Go Crazy!

Now, that short list of crafts and activities is just a fraction of what’s available for you and your child. Summer is long, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring! We hope that you use some, if not all, of these pest-themed summer activities for kids to not only keep them entertained—but also educate on insects, bugs, and pests.