Is your toddler a bit bug-obsessed?
There is no surprise there because bugs are VERY interesting.
One of the best ways you can teach your child is to follow their lead when it comes to what they are interested in.
If your toddler is all about bugs then pick activities and books that support their love for bugs.
In this post I will give you ideas for bug activities for toddlers, crafts, games, and bug books that your little one is sure to enjoy.
The Best Bug Activities for Toddlers
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You can use many different learning modalities to teach kids about bugs.
Getting outside and exploring bugs is one of the top ways for them to soak up information.
You can also read about different types of bugs that you may not see in your everyday life.
Playing bug games or doing bug art for toddlers is also a great way to teach active learnings.
When you are teaching preschools or toddlers about bugs you will want to stick to active learning techniques.
Get creative!
This could mean singing songs about bugs or acting out different bugs. For example you could have your little ones hop like a grass hopper or buzz like a bee.
Learning About Bugs for Toddlers
File folder games or quiet book printables can be a great way for children to learn about bugs as well as other educational concepts like shapes, colors, and matching.
If you are teaching your toddler at home about bugs this is the perfect activity for your little one to do on their own or with you as more of a game.
You can CLICK HERE to check out the Learning with Bugs printables I have designed for toddlers and preschoolers.
Pretend Play with Bugs
Bug puppets (like these) can be a fun prop to use during story time or for a dramatic play area.
You can use puppets to teach all sorts of concepts and they are especially great for teaching little ones about social skills.
You can also have lots of fun with toy bugs by playing hiding games or putting them into bug-themed sensory bins.
Small plastic bugs can also just be fun for kids to free play with on their own as they wish.
Bug Songs for Toddlers
Singing is a great activity to encourage language development as well as learn about bugs.
Using songs and fingerplays allows children to learn language because of their repetitive nature.
Here are a few of my favorite bug songs for toddlers:
- Itsy Bitsy Spider
- Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee
- The Ants Go Marching
Feel free to also make up your own…. sometimes those are the best ones!
Bug Play Dough Mats
Explore what bugs look like and encourage fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while you make bugs with play dough.
You can make your own bugs and see if your toddler tries to imitate you.
You can also use bug play dough mats (these are the ones we use) to give a little more structure and direction to the activity.
Head Outside and Go for a Bug Hunt
A really simple insect activity is to head outside and look for the backyard bugs that you can find nearby.
Looking for live insects allows your little one to see them in action.
Of course, you will want to make sure to supervise closely when looking for the bug habitats near you.
Make sure they know how to be safe around the bugs.
We can look at bumble bees from a safe distance but we do not touch them!
It can be a fun challenge for them and it gets them outside in the fresh air.
It is also an excellent activity to work on problem-solving, language, motor, and cognitive skills.
Easy Bug Crafts for Toddlers
Bug art for toddlers can be an easy way to learn about bugs and get creative.
Add these bug crafts for toddlers’ ideas so that you can bring art and learning together.
Lady Bug Hat Craft: Make a simple craft with your toddler that they can wear as well.
This fun activity requires just a couple of materials such as construction paper, a black marker, and a glue stick so it is easy to do in a pinch.
You can check out the ladybug hat craft HERE.
Bottle Cap Bugs: Have some extra bottle caps lying around? This craft is SUPER cute and is great because you can upcycle some bottle caps that you have lying around.
Get the details on how to make bottle cap bugs HERE.
Cupcake Liner Spider Craft: This spider craft would be perfect for Halloween or really any time of year.
This is a simple craft that your toddler will be able to do with a little assistance from you.
If you child likes googly eyes…then this will for sure be a hit!
You can get the full instructions on this craft idea HERE.
Bug Books for Toddlers
Spending time looking at books is a great way to promote skills in all areas as well as learn about bugs.
Heading to your local library to find books about the world of bugs can be a great way to introduce the topic to your child.
Here are a few of my favorite bug books for toddlers.
I love nature books that feature real pictures and National Geographic is well known for doing just that.
This book is perfect for little ones and adults as you may be surprised what you learn as well when reading this with your little one.
You can take a closer look at it HERE.
This book is a fun way to work on counting as well as fine motor skills with toddlers.
If you are worried about your child ripping pages then this is a good choice because it is a board book.
You can check it out HERE.
These are some of my FAVORITE bug books for toddlers.
They have great illustrations and they are the perfect length for young readers.
You can take a closer look at this book HERE.
Insect Games for Children
A simple bug game can be a fun way to introduce new vocabulary words as well as have fun.
One of my favorite toddler games is Bingo.
It is simple and easy to set up.
Bingo is an excellent opportunity to work on listening skills which will help your toddler in learning new concepts as well as participating in daily routines.
Early literacy skills are encouraged as well when the names of the bugs are included in the pictures.
This can also be a great way to explore turn-taking with little ones as well.
You can grab my bug bingo game HERE.
I designed it with toddlers in mind so it is perfect for short attention spans.
You can also use it as a matching game by using the calling cards for matching with the bingo cards instead of calling out the names.
Colorful Bug Snacks
One of my favorite hands-on activities for little learners is to have them help with making snacks and meals.
What could be more fun than making some snacks that remind us of our favorite insects?
One simple one that we have done at our house is make a ladybug out of an apple, peanut butter, pretzels, and raisins.
Just cut a red apple in half and then use a little peanut butter to stick on the raisins and use the pretzel pieces for legs and antennas.
You could also switch this up by using chocolate chips or even M&M’s candy to make colorful bugs!
Instead of peanut butter, you could try cream cheese to make things stick as well.
Have Fun With These Insect Activities
Bugs are something that little kids are naturally very curious and exploring them together can include lots of learning opportunities as well as fun.
Whether you choose to do bug theme sensory play, insect crafts, play a game of bug bingo, or head outside for a bug hunt your little one is sure to learn a little about the exciting world of bugs.
I hope you enjoy learning about bugs with your little one and find these ideas helpful in your planning!
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Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.