Totally Tots: Insects

Showing posts with label Insects. Show all posts

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Language Activity for Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! ~ Once Upon a Book

Book Summary: Pretty ladybugs, fluttering butterflies, creepy daddy longlegs, and roly-poly bugs are some of the familiar creatures featured in this whimsically illustrated insect album. Complete with an "actual size" chart and bug-o-meter listing fun facts about each bug, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! will inform and entertain curious little bug lovers everywhere.

Bb is for Bugs!

Help your tot recognize the letter Bb by helping them decorate them with fingerprint bugs!

Materials:

Bb is for Bugs Printable (Free on my blog)
Rainbow Stamp Pad
Black marker or pen
Baby Wipe (for easy clean-up)

Directions:
Print off the Bb is for Bugs Fingerprint Art Page from Happy Brown House and gather your supplies.

Using the stamp pad, have your tot use their finger to make dots on the paper. This can be messy, but tots love messy! Have a baby wipe nearby for easy clean-up.

Let them use the black marker or pen to draw legs, antennae, wings, etc. on the fingerprints to make them look like bugs. You might need to demonstrate how to do this on the first bug. Let their creativity flow!

Listen for the Bb Sound
Play a listening game to help them identify the beginning Bb sound. Say bug names/features (some of them should start with Bb and some of them should not~mix it up). When your child hears the Bb sound, let them clap, jump, etc. (anything really!)

Here are a few Bb words to help you: bug, bumblebee, buzz, beetle, butterfly

Other words to mix in: caterpillar, wing, antennae, grasshopper, dragonfly, spider, web

Did you miss a post? Don't forget to check out all the other insect posts!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Stained Glass Butterfly Art ~ Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! ~ Once Upon a Book

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

Materials:

Clear Contact Paper
Construction Paper
Scissors
Marker
Tissue Paper

Directions:
Fold the paper into fourths (in half, then in half again).

Draw a curve (similar to making paper hearts). Make sure to keep the folded corner inside the shape like the picture below. If you don't, this strategic cut won't work.

Cut along the line.

About an inch or so in, make another line on the inside of the shape. Make sure you don't cut the corner off.

Cut along the line.

Open.

Measure a piece of the contact paper larger than the butterfly shape. Carefully peel the paper off the clear contact paper. Lay the contact paper sticky side up on the table. To keep it from moving all over the place and getting crumpled by little hands, turn an inch under on the sides and stick it to the table. Carefully place the butterfly outline on the sticky contact paper.

Cut pieces of tissue paper or let your tot practice cutting. We chose to practice cutting. I cut strips of tissue paper and let my son cut the strips.

Have your tot place the small pieces of tissue paper on the sticky contact paper. No glue needed!

Encouraged them to keep going until they have filled the entire space. It's alright if the tissue overlaps.

Fold a piece of paper (about 4 inches wide) in half. Draw half of a butterfly body.

Cut along the line and open.

Place the butterfly body in the center of the wings. Allow your tot to draw a face and antennas.

Cut another piece of contact paper large enough to cover the entire butterfly. Carefully peel the paper backing and place on top. Cut around the edges. Display on a window that gets some sunlight.

Concepts to Discuss:

I know it would be tempting to prep this activity ahead of time, but know that cutting the wings is a perfect time to discuss symmetry and let them be amazed. Don't miss this opportunity!
While my son was placing the tissue paper on the wings, I reminded him of a fact we learned about butterflies in the beautifully illustrated book, A Butterfly Is Patient. Butterfly wings are made up of little scales (similar to the shingles on a roof). The tissue paper we placed on the wings illustrated this butterfly fact perfectly.

Be sure to check out the other activities to go with Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! Spider Web Snack ~ Once Upon a Book

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

Book Summary: Pretty ladybugs, fluttering butterflies, creepy daddy longlegs, and roly-poly bugs are some of the familiar creatures featured in this whimsically illustrated insect album. Complete with an "actual size" chart and bug-o-meter listing fun facts about each bug, Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! will inform and entertain curious little bug lovers everywhere.

Spider Web Snack

One rainy afternoon we needed some fun to keep us from getting bored inside when we would rather be outside looking for bugs. With just two ingredients, this snack was easy to pull together.

Materials Needed:

Pretzel Sticks
Chocolate Chips
small microwaveable bowl
spoon
wax paper
small ziploc bag

Place a small handful of chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring with the spoon each time.

Once they are melted, place a small glob of melted chocolate on wax paper. Allow your tot to help you place the ends of the pretzel sticks in the chocolate. It should look like a wheel or a sun.

Spoon the remaining melted chocolate into a ziploc bag. Snip a very small amount of the corner from the ziploc bag. If it is not too hot, allow your tot to squeeze the chocolate in a swirl pattern over the pretzels.