Help Your Child Learn About Bugs with Fun Insect Activities
Getting your kids involved in fun educational activities like exploring the great outdoors is incredible for their sociocognitive development and helps them find their love for learning. Plus, when you join in on the fun, you can strengthen your bond with your child and be their shining example of how learning isn’t something they’ll stop doing when they grow up; learning is lifelong.
Going outside and teaching your kids about insects, other animals, plants, fungi, and more is one of the best educational activities for them because they have fun, learn how to be brave in the face of the unknown, develop respect and appreciation for nature, stimulate tactile and sensory seeking needs, and explore the curiosities of the world around them.
Are you interested in incorporating educational insect activities into your child’s playtime curriculum? Keep reading for a list of insect activities guaranteed to make your child smile!
4 Educational Insect Activities that Children Love
#1. Build Pollination Models with Cheeseballs
Pollination is necessary for all life on earth to have food; one-third of crops rely on bees and other pollinators to increase farmers’ crop yield. You can easily teach your children about the importance of pollination, the value of pollinators, and how pollination works. All you need is some cheese balls.
- Begin by placing a piece of individually wrapped candy inside of a container of cheeseballs.
- Next, ask your child or student to reach into the container of cheese balls and grab the candy.
- Once your child pulls the candy out of the cheese balls, have them hold out their hand to show it to you. Their hands will be covered in cheese powder.
- Point out to your child how their hand is covered in cheese powder, and ask, “Hmmm, does that remind you of something in nature?” Allow them to respond creatively.
- After they respond, praise their answer for creativity and ask, “Hey, wait a minute. Does this remind you of pollen?” Allow them to reply or ask for clarification.
- Explain how their hand goes for the candy and is covered in cheese ball dust. It is just like how bees pollinate by getting pollen on themselves while collecting nectar from one flower and spreading it to the next flower they fly to for more nectar.
Allowing each child to participate in this activity sparks their creativity, entices them to learn how pollination works, and rewards them with a tasty treat! This is what we’d call a “win-win!”
#2. Work Funny Insect-Related Jokes Into Conversation
Whether a child is a class clown or straight-laced, everyone likes telling jokes and getting laughs. Teach them some funny jokes about bugs. If they don’t understand them, explain them. This is an opportunity to teach your kids about insects and nature, and they’ll be glad to have more comedic material! Here are three of our favorites at Vulcan Termite and Pest Control:
- What did the firefly say after the fashion show? Answer: You glow, girl!
- What did the apple say to the hungry caterpillar? Answer: Leaf me alone!
- How can bees fly in the rain? Answer: With their yellow jackets!
#3. Insect Observation Kits
If you’re unable to play outside due to stormy or bad weather, bring nature inside! How? You can purchase insect kits with little critters, observation tools, nets, and more! Plus, it’s a great way to keep your child occupied during stay-at-home days.
Are you wondering where to find a good insect kit for kids? Here are 10 insect kits we recommend.
#4. Ladybug Flashcards
You can make learning to count fun for your child by playing counting games with flashcards featuring images of their favorite critters.
We love the brightly colored red-and-black visual of ladybugs, so we suggest you print out a deck of cards with their image on them. A card with one ladybug for 1, two for 2, and more! This is such a cheap and easy way to promote learning and fun.
Even More Kid Insect Activities!
There are so many more educational kid insect activities for you, your children, or your students to enjoy. We hope you got some ideas from our small list of activities and that they are of good use to your child or children’s continuing education.
For more answers or information concerning insects, pests, and more, contact us! We are happy to answer any questions you may have. And, of course, we look forward to hearing about your child’s fun-filled insect activities.
Pest Pros Families Count On in Birmingham, AL
Learning about insects is awesome, and we are glad to share the earth with them! However, it’s okay if you don’t want to share your yard or house with them.
If you have a pest infestation or recurring problem with pests on your lawn or elsewhere on your property, call Vulcan Termite & Pest Control at (205) 663-4200! We’re the experts who can guarantee a pest-free lawn for families in Birmingham, AL, and surrounding cities.
Our team of integrative pest management professionals has proudly devoted the last 40+ years to providing families in Birmingham and nearby communities with the practical, lasting, and comprehensive solutions they need to end problems with pests on their property.
Call or contact us online today, and we’ll gladly perform a FREE evaluation and create and implement an effective strategy using our tried-and-true methods so you and your family can enjoy a pest-free home.