Trying to find bugs is a pretty normal part of every kid’s childhood. Insects are incredibly interesting and can teach kids a great deal about nature. As a parent, you can have hours of educational fun centered around bugs. Here are some ideas to help kids enjoy bugs safely and have a great time doing so:
Bug Hunt Fun for Kids
Start off with safety rules.
A Bug hunt is no fun at all when you end up getting hurt. There are some dangerous insects and arachnids out there that kids should probably only watch from a distance. For example, scorpions, spiders and bees come to mind right. Talk with your kids about these various dangers and why you need to avoid them. While you don’t want to unnecessarily scare them, safety should be the first thing you discuss with your kids before the bug hunt fun begins.
Refer to cartoons.
To get started, ask the kids which cartoon bugs they are familiar with or like. The ants in the movie “Antz” or the various bugs in “A Bug’s Life” make cool examples. When the kids think up various insects from the shows they watch, you can then go out and try to locate the real thing. Use talking points about what is real and what is made up for cartoons.
Get a bug hunt kit.
Insect Collection Kits are fairly inexpensive and they make bug hunt fun a heck of a lot more exciting. You usually will get a bug net, a tiny vacuum, petri dishes and a small microscope. This allows you to view bugs and their environment up close. Make sure you are careful not to mess up the insect’s eco-system if possible.
Learn about bugs online.
Bugs all have incredible facts about them. Once you find a bug that your child is interested in, use the power of the internet to learn all you can about them. Relate the interesting facts about bugs to “superpowers” that the kids can relate to. For example, an ant has massive strength for it’s size. Kids relate well to these types of things.
Have them write their own movie.
Once you enjoy and identify various types of bugs and start to see the ones that really interest your kids, have them write a little story or play about them. Kids like to write plays and then act them out, so perhaps a neighborhood play is in order. Whatever the case, have them involve all the elements they learned about that day.
Learning about bugs does not have to be icky. You can do quite a bit of observation from a distance and the up close looks are quite safe with most bugs too. Use a good magnifying glass to observe live specimens and look at deceased insects under the microscope lens. Most of all, always stay safe by leaving alone any bugs that you don’t know about.
More Nature Fun for Kids
- Backyard Bird Watching
- How to Make Butterfly Nectar
- How to Make a Butterfly Puddler
- Nature Walk Ideas for Kids
- How to Make Watercolor Paints from Flower Petals
You can find more ideas for frugal summer fun for kids here. Join us as we share a new frugal summer activity for kids each day for 100 days!
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