Bug Camp
Ah, summer....Flats of raspberries and boxes of fuzzy, juicy peaches from the Farmers' Market. Backyard water parks constructed of wading pools, pails, and the sprinkler. Grilled hot dogs dripping ketchup.
And bugs.
One of these is not a favorite at the Pink Door House.
If you witnessed the absolute, complete hysteria resulting from an encounter with 'lady bugs' (anything creepy crawly) and 'buzzy bees' (anything that flies), you would think, PTSD. Clearly PTSD. But I promise you, the girls have never had a particularly negative experience with bugs.
This video is from about two years ago. Earlier in the day, there was a fly in the house. Once the initial shock wore off, they started play-acting this scenario of a bee in London's window. I. can't. even.
Fast forward to my parents' house last week, and Quinn waking from her worst nightmare ever. I found her standing in a corner, screaming, trying to get away from the 'bugs' in her room.
I decided it's time we get to know our six- and eight-legged friends. (No more legs than that, please. Centipedes and millipedes will lead this mama into her own hysteria.) The next few weeks will be filled with activities for bug learning and play.
These are my favorite ideas from around the web. I tried to include a variety of large and small motor skills, science and math, crafts and music.
Bug Sensory Bin at Cutting Tiny Bites
Static Butterfly at I Heart Crafty Things
Baby Bumble Bee Song at The Inspired Tree House
Build a Bug at Cutting Tiny Bites
Pom Pom Caterpillars at We-Made-That.com (London picked this one)
Bird (or in our case, Bug) Finder Binoculars at Art Bar Blog
Spider Gross Motor Activity at Pre-K Pages
Bee Hive Fine Motor Activity at Pre-K Pages
Play Dough Bugs at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Bug or Not? Sorting Game at A Little Pinch of Perfect
Since we already had the supplies at home, we started with the Play Dough Bugs yesterday.
You can read more about our Play Dough Bugs in this post. I can't wait to gather up a few more supplies and dig into some of these other projects. We are headed to Spokane for a round of treatment this week, and Grammy and Grandpapa's yard will be a perfect place to explore with 'bug finder' binoculars.
A few additional resources....
Master supply list if you wanted to do all of these activities at home:
Sensory bin (plastic tub) filled with tiny pebbles, rice, or beans
Small plastic bugs
Fine motor tools, like plastic tweezers, spoons, small tongs...
Yellow balloons
Flour
Sharpie pen
Cardboard
Construction paper
Tissue paper
Glue or glue stick
Clothespins
Pom Poms
Wiggly eyes, varying sizes
Toilet paper rolls
Yarn or string
Washi tape or stickers
Sidewalk chalk
Honeycomb cereal
Tiny bees (plastic toys? erasers?)
Play dough
Straws
Pipe cleaners
Play Dough tools (toothpicks, plastic utensils)
Two compartment tray
Miscellaneous tiny toy animals (not bugs) for sorting
Books to dig deeper:
19 Books about Bugs at No Time for Flash Cards
Bug Songs, Poems, and Fingerplay
A sweet poem from Little Miss Two Shoes Likes a Lady Bug by Dr. Margaret Aranda:
These Bug Songs and Fingerplays at The Childcare Lounge look fun!
The Insects Outside (Tune: The Wheels on the Bus) The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink Out in the garden. The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz Out in the garden. Other verses: cricket/fields/chirp caterpillars/on the leaves/munch spiders/in the bush/ spin their webs worms/in the ground/ wiggle and squirm
The Fuzzy Caterpillar (Tune: Itsy Bitsy Spider) The fuzzy caterpillar Curled up on a leaf, Spun her little chrysalis And then fell fast asleep. While she was sleeping She dreamed that she could fly, And later when she woke up She was a butterfly!
Butterfly Song (Tune: Up on the Housetop) First comes a butterfly and lays an egg. Out comes a caterpillar with many legs. Oh see the caterpillar spin and spin, A little chrysalis to sleep in. Oh, oh ,oh wait and see! Oh, oh, oh wait and see! Out of the chrysalis, my oh my, Out comes a beautiful butterfly!
Speedy Spider Song (Tune: Oh, Susanna) I was sitting in my room one day When it came right through the door. A big spider sped right by me- Went racing 'cross the floor. (Chorus) Oh, that spider! Oh how it scared me so. But spiders can be good friends. And so I let it go. I watched it crawl up the wall, To find a spot just right. It spun a web so beautiful. And then went out of sight. (Repeat chorus) Now bugs and flies do not scare me, For I know that it's true- That a spiderweb is good to have, Bugs stick to it like glue. (Repeat chorus)
Lightning Bug (Tune: You are my Sunshine) I'm like a "lite brite" I have a night light. I fly in circles, up in the sky. Some call me "lightning". When my light's blinking. But to my friends, I'm just "firefly." While others sleep tight, flash my night light, fill the dark sky with light so bright. Look out your window, You'll see me flashing, And then I'll turn off and tell you "good night
Five Busy Bees Fingerplay Five little busy bees on a day so sunny Number one said, "I'd like to make some honey" Number two said, "Tell me, where shall it be?" Number three said, "In the old honey tree" Number four said, "Let's gather pollen sweet" Number five said, "Let's take it on our feet". Humming their busy little honey bee song.
Five Little Flies Fingerplay Five little flies buzzing through a hive, One snuck some honey, and took a deep dive. Four little flies buzzing through a door, One slipped and fell, Crash! on the floor. Three little flies buzzing through the trees, One bumped the bark and bloodied his knees. Two little flies buzzing through a shoe, One held his nose and said, PEE YOO! One little fly buzzing through a bun, The swatter goes SPLAT! Now there are none
