Preschool Bug Activities
As moms, I am sure we are all excited that the weather is getting warmer. Warmer weather means more ways to actively engage with our children and at the same time keep our homes clean. Tonight Colbin and Cason (my 3 year-old and 20 month old boys) were so excited that the moths were out. Every window they looked out and at every porch light they could see a moth. Colbin immediately grabbed his bug catching net ( a must for every boy) and started to catch the moths. Cason was trying his best to catch some but at 20 months was not very successful. I think that he was enjoying screaming “I see a moth” just as much as Colbin was enjoying catching them.
If you have a preschooler that enjoys bug hunts than why not create or engage your child in some preschool bug activities. Colbin loves digging up worms in the backyard, so we are going to build a worm farm. There are some great resources online that tell you how to easily and inexpensively build a worm farm. Pretty much all you need is a clear container or tank, some sand, dirt, worms, and a spritzer bottle. You may want to buy yourself a pair of gloves if you don’t particularly care for worms 
I am sure that this activity will provide hours of enjoyment for Colbin.
Another great preschool bug activity and a great way to teach your child his letters is to pick a letter of the day and then create a list of bugs that begin with that letter. For example, choose the letter B and make a bug list that includes butterflies, bumble bees, beetle bugs, etc. In the process of doing the bug activity go over the sound that the letter B makes. Then start your bug hunt! Your child should love the challenge of finding the bugs on his list.
If your child likes The Little Einsteins cartoon on The Disney Channel then he may have seen the episode where the caterpillar has to find the tree of many colors so he can form a chrysalis and turn into a butterfly. Colbin loved that episode. A great way to teach your child about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly is to let him form his own chrysalis. Wrap your child in a roll of toilet paper (his chrysalis), with exception to his face, and then let him break out of the paper by moving his arms out as if they were wings. Then tell your child to fly around the room. Your child will probably love this activity and will probably want you to wrap him up over and over. This may get a bit messy
On the day or days that you choose to engage your child in these preschool bug activities, or bug activities that you create on your own, you may want to include some nursery rhymes about bugs. Examples include the Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Ants Go Marching , Little Miss Muffet, etc. The following link has several great nursery rhymes that deal with bugs: PreschoolRainbow.org. I love teaching nursery rhymes to my boys!
After a busy day of bug activities you may want to calm your child down and get them prepared for bed by reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A great book for preschoolers and fun one for mom to real aloud.
P.S. Before starting your preschool bug activities you may want to drop by Walmart or Big Lots and purchase a bug catching net and possibly even a bug habitat if your child does not already have one.
If you have any great ideas for preschool bug activities or any other ideas for fun things that moms can do with their kids outside please let me know. I would love to post these ideas on my site and try them with my own children.
