Preschool Insects Theme
Planning your Insects Theme
Insects theme planning guide for free! Not a member? Learn More Here
Fly Swatter Painting
Your preschoolers will love this art exploration! Set up an invitation for Flyswatter Process Art!
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Create an Insect
Engage and educate your preschoolers with this hands-on Invitation to Build Insects activity. Encourage creativity and fine motor skills as they construct their very own bugs using various materials. A fun and interactive way to explore the world of insects!
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Insect Tracks
Invite preschoolers to paint by dipping plastic insects into paint and then stamping or dragging across paper
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Me.. As a Bug!
Trace each preschooler on a large piece of paper, invite them to turn their outline into an insect by adding extra legs and antennae. You could also do this with sidewalk chalk. View Member Instructions
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Bug Play Dough Habitats
Set up an invitation to play that includes green and brown play dough, plastic bugs, fake flowers, sticks, rocks, etc. Invite preschoolers to create a bug scene using the play dough to anchor their creations.
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Insect Imprints
Offer play dough or clay along with small toy insects for preschoolers to make imprints in the dough with. View Member Instructions
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Bug Antennae Craft
Use sentence strips or construction paper to create headbands. Tape pipe cleaners to the inside middle of the headbands to create antennae. Then fit the paper to the students' head and tape in place. Let them curl the tips of the pipe cleaners in any shape they choose or even leave them straight. View Member Instructions
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Insect Paper Tube Crafts
Gather empty paper tubes and a variety of craft supplies for preschoolers to make their own insects. View Member Instructions
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Dragonfly Craft
Invite preschoolers to make a dragonfly, or other insect, using sticks, leaves and paint. Invite preschoolers to make a dragonfly, or other insect, using sticks, leaves and paint. View Member Instructions
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Life-Size Bugs
Create an indoor world for "Life Size" insects.
Add items for insect "Dress Up": Wings, Insect Glasses, and Masks. View Member Instructions |
Set Up an Entomologist Lab
Transform your dramatic play stand into an entomologist lab!
Add bug viewers, insects sealed in acrylic, magnifying glasses, tweezers, a microscope, photos of insects, books about insects, clip boards and writing instruments, pretend insects, lab coats, silk flowers and photos of scientists at work. Buy Now |
Ant Colony
Add cardboard boxes or cardboard blocks to the dramatic play area along with antenna head bands for children to wear. Invite them to create tunnels/ant hills and pretend to live and work together in an ant colony.
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Bug Stick Puppets
Create Bug Stick Puppets using images of insects and craft sticks. Invite your preschoolers to put on a bug themed puppet show for each other.
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Going on A Bug Hunt
Hide plastic bugs around the dramatic play area along with materials that simulate the woods, grass, logs, etc. Give your preschoolers magnifying glasses, hiking gear, bug nets etc. and have them try to find the hidden bugs. View Member Instructions
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Bug Charades-Group Activity
Play What bug am I? Provide cards with pictures of insects (draw your own or use the 3-part cards in the Insect Pack). Preschoolers take turns drawing an insect card, without showing their peers they act like that insect and see if their peers can guess which insect they are.
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Materials to add for an Insect Small World Play
Add Pretend Insects, plants, Items from Nature, Green & Brown Felt pieces, and Rocks.
Add Insect Patterns for pattern blocks. |
Building Insects
Invite your preschoolers to create bug designs using pattern blocks. You can print off pattern block templates as examples and have them build on the template or beside the template or you can have them create a bug design all their own using the pattern blocks.
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Insect Small World Play
Add insects along with props such as flowers to the building area for small world play. View Member Instructions
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*3-Part Insect Cards
This educational preschool activity features printable insect-themed 3-part cards that will help children learn about different insects and their names. Perfect for hands-on learning and promoting curiosity about the world of bugs! Buy Now
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Label the Parts of an Insect*
This Parts of a Praying Mantis printable preschool activity is a fun and educational way for young children to learn about the different body parts of this fascinating insect. They will engage in tracing, coloring, and labeling exercises, enhancing their fine motor skills while exploring the world of insects. Perfect for homeschool or classroom use! Buy Now
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Make -ug Words*
Set out the Rhyming Words Match-up Mat with the -ug words (which includes the word bug). Buy Now
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Bug Name Writing Tray
Set up a letter writing tray with dirt. Provide plastic bugs or bug erasers. Students choose a bug, and use them to trace the letters in their names.
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Fly Swatter Sounds
Place pictures on the floor. Have students pick a picture, identify the beginning sound (or you can do the ending sound for a challenge!), and then have them use a fly swatter to swat the picture and say the sound.
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Catch a Bug Shape Matching Game*
Engage your little ones with this fun printable preschool activity! Let their curiosity soar as they try to catch the bugs using a simple DIY net. Perfect for learning hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Buy Now
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Insect Count and Clip Cards*
Teach your little ones numbers and counting with these adorable ladybug count and clip cards! This printable preschool activity is perfect for hands-on learning and developing fine motor skills. Fun, educational, and engaging for hours of playtime! Buy Now
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Insect Number Puzzle*
Teach your little ones about insects while having fun with this colorful and engaging number puzzle. Perfect for preschoolers to practice counting and number recognition skills. Simply print, cut and let the learning begin!
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Bug Counting & Observation
Take a camera outside and search for bugs. Take pictures of all the creatures you find. Then, count them up! After you count them up, see if you can figure out how many legs each had and how many legs total for all the creatures you found. View Member Instructions
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Sorting Insects
Gather 3 different types of plastic bugs and place in a bin. Place 3 empty containers next it to. Challenge preschoolers to use tweezers or scoops to sort the bugs (one type of bug per container). Give them an extra challenge by having them time how fast they can sort out all of the bugs only using the tools. View Member Instructions
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Outdoor Bug Exploration
Bring the wonders of nature to your preschool classroom with Backyard Bug Investigation! Engage little explorers in hands-on activities, fostering curiosity and scientific thinking as they discover the fascinating world of bugs right outside. View the Blog Post or View Member Instructions
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Take a Closer Look
When the time is taken to really look close and quietly observe, you can discover all kinds of creatures. The kids at Building Blocks Family Childcare found this ladybug in the pupal stage. During this stage the ladybug remains attached to the leaf which allowed observation over several days. View Member Instructions
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Indoor Bug Habitat
Set up a bug enclosure in your learning environment for studying insects. This can be something as simple as a large plastic container with a lid (be sure to provide ventilation for extended viewing) or a large aquarium for students to add insects to for observation. View Member Instructions
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Investigate BugsAdd skins from bugs that have molted to a tray with a magnifying glass for students to explore. View Member Instructions
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Flying and Non-Flying InsectsThis interactive Does it Fly? Sorting Mat activity is perfect for preschoolers to learn about flying and non-flying objects. Excellent for hands-on learning and developing critical thinking skills! Buy Now
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Build a Bug Hotel
Use materials found outside such as pine cones, sticks, leaves as well as cardboard to fill a cut off plastic bottle to create a bug hotel. Help your preschoolers find a place to put their bug hotel outside to give bugs a nice home! You want to make sure that items are packed in tightly enough to not fall out, but you want some small spaces between materials as this is where the bugs can make their homes.
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Measure Bug BiodiversityIn this hands-on activity, preschool students will investigate the bug biodiversity in their outdoor play area by creating a bug hotel. They will layer various materials in a container and observe what kind of creatures check in. Students will use magnifying glasses and clipboards to record their observations and create graphs. This activity promotes curiosity, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking skills while fostering an appreciation for nature and the environment. View Member Instructions
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Bug HuntGo on a bug hunt! Gather clipboards, crayons, and magnifying classes then go on a walk or explore your outdoor play space to see what kind of creatures can be found! Students can record their data by writing or drawing a picture. Consider creating a simple checklist to go along with this activity. It would be fun to collect the drawings or photos and create a Bug Hunt Class Book. View Member Instructions.
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Praying Mantis Life cycle Match Up
This Praying Mantis Life Cycle Match Up Printable Activity is perfect for preschoolers to learn about the fascinating journey of a praying mantis, from egg to adult! Engage their curiosity and knowledge with this fun and educational match up game. Buy Now
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Bugs In The Grass Sensory Bin
This Bugs In The Grass Sensory Bin activity was created by our reader Erica to engage and educate preschoolers about insects. By using tweezers to catch and collect plastic bugs hidden in soft grass, children will improve their fine motor skills while exploring the wonders of nature. This activity fosters curiosity, supports early science learning, and encourages imaginative play.
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Insect Sensory BinThe Insect Sensory Bin activity is an engaging and educational hands-on experience for preschoolers. Through the use of plastic bugs, tweezers, and magnifying glasses, children will have the opportunity to explore and learn about different insects. This activity promotes fine motor skills, sensory development, and critical thinking. It also encourages curiosity and a love for nature. View Member Instructions
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Save the Bugs- Fine Motor Activity
Place plastic bugs in the bottom of a tray that has openings on the side. Lace yarn or string through the openings to create a spider's web across the top of the tray. Have your preschoolers save the bugs from the spider's web by using tweezers to reach in and pull the bugs through openings in the yarn. View Member Instructions
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Insect Play Dough Invitation-Fine Motor
Set up an invitation to make insects from play dough. Some materials to consider: small twigs, chenille sticks, googly eyes, parts from a Cootie game, etc. Let children build their own bugs and show off their creations.
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In the Grass Cut and Paste Activity*
In the Tall Grass Preschool Book Companion provides a fun and interactive way for preschoolers to engage with nature. This cut and paste craft template activity will allow children to explore the concept of camouflage while enhancing their fine motor skills. Perfect for preschoolers who love animals and the great outdoors! Buy Now
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Make your own Insect Lacing Cards-Fine Motor
Print off pictures of bugs on card stock, cut out, laminate and punch holes around the outside of the picture. Add string and let your preschoolers weave the string in and out of the holes to practice their fine motor skills. You can use our 3 part cards, or other real pictures of insects so that students can see them up close! View Member Instructions
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Buggy Snacks- Fine MotorHere are some creative ideas for Insect Themed Snacks this week:
Ladybug made from a tomato or an apple
Ants on a Log, Butterfly snack bag (fill a snack bag with small snack such as goldfish or raisins, put a clothespin in the center and decorate to look like a butterfly), Caterpillar crackers (round crackers with cream cheese, use raisins for eyes). View Member Instructions |
Ladybug Dots Craft-Fine Motor
Create adorable ladybugs with our Ladybug Craft! Cut ladybug templates out of red construction paper, then let your students express their creativity by adding dots with black dot markers. This simple and delightful activity brings out the joy of crafting in a ladybug-inspired way!
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Move Like a Bug- Gross Motor
Get preschoolers moving their body from head to toe! Invite your preschoolers to move their body like different insects. Use large colorful pictures if available, or simply announce an insect for them to move like. Give the preschoolers a chance to announce insects as well. Be sure to encourage movement that engages the whole body!
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Follow that Bug! Gross Motor
Play a version of Follow the Leader, in this version the leader announces an insect and then mimics the behavior of that insect as the rest follow.
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The Ants Go Marching Gross Motor
Outside draw different lines that students can follow with chalk all heading back to the "ant hill" (or you can set up inside using painter's tape on the floor!). Challenge your preschoolers to march along the different lines to get back to the ant hill. You can even play The Ants Go Marching as inspiration as you play! View Member Instructions
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Bug Scavenger Hunt Gross Motor
Hide plastic bugs all through the outside area or classroom. Give students a checklist for them to follow and have them find all of the bugs on their lists. Students will need to engage in gross motor movements as they look under items, look for bugs up high, navigate the territory, etc. Consider having children work in pairs to find the insects. Provide fun hats and explorer vests if you have them along with magnifying glasses and nets/tweezers for collecting specimens.
Pair with the 3-part Nomenclature Cards from our Insect activity pack to support language development. |
Find the Insect Gross Motor Chalk Hop
Draw different insects in chalk on the pavement (ants, beetles, ladybugs, etc.) or use Big Bug Stencils to easily create insects. . Call out a type of bug and a movement. For example, "Hop to a ladybug." The preschoolers do the action over to that type of bug. You could play it like a musical chairs game, each time erasing a bug and the preschooler who doesn't get to a bug is out. View Member Instructions
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Respecting SpaceA study of insects is a good time to talk about the importance of giving one another space and respecting boundaries.
There are many insects that do fine being handled. However, there are also many that are either too delicate to handle or that can harm a child. Teaching children about the signs that an insect wants to be left alone is beneficial to bugs, and to their peers. Invite your preschoolers to discuss: What can you do if someone is too close to you? How can you tell someone respectfully that you need space? The Book Harrison P. Spader, Personal Space Invader is a great tool to use while teaching children about respecting space. View Member Instructions |
Insect Yoga
Help your preschoolers practice mindfulness through insect themed yoga posts. You can use this YouTube video as inspiration!
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Bug Journal
In this preschool activity, children will learn about the famous artist and entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian. This set also includes an Insect Field Journal and Guide for creating your own illustrations.
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Bug Map
Have your students follow a map to get a bug home! Create a map and key that your students can follow to a location outside or inside the classroom to find the bug's home and deliver it safely.
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What Bugs MeEncourage preschoolers to express their emotions through a "What Bugs Me" statement. Use the bug and wish format to effectively communicate what upsets them and express their desires for a better outcome. Promotes emotional intelligence and communication skills. Say "It bugs me when _____. I wish _____." when upset.
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Learn about Entomology with Maria Sibylla MerianMaria Sibylla was an entomologist, naturalist and artist that made meaningful contributions to the fields of entomology and botany.
Learn more about her contributions with your preschoolers using our Maria Sibylla Merian Biography & Insect Field Journal and Guide. |
Insect Biodiversity in My Community
Encourage parents to quietly observe their backyard with their preschooler, see what insects can be found. Preschoolers can be invited to share about their findings during the daily social meeting.
Encourage families to share photographs of the creatures they found. As a group you can take this information and compare which creatures each child found. All children are likely to find ants, children that have lots of flowers in their yard may find butterflies. Print the pictures shared by parents. Children can make comparisons about the insects in the photos. Swap photos, challenge children to find the insect on the photo they are given in their own backyard. View Member Instructions |
Exploring insects with young children is exciting. This 59-page activity pack includes a variety of Math, Literacy, Fine Motor, and Science activities perfect for creating centers, file folder activities, or morning work your preschool students
This activity pack contains the following 22 Insect related activities:
Cover, Directions, TOS, and Graphics Credit
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Get ready for spring with this adorable preschool calendar display! Hang it up in your classroom and watch as the little ones explore the changing seasons. This printable activity includes calendar games that will engage and educate your preschoolers. They will love learning about the days of the week, months of the year, and more while playing these fun and interactive games. Bring a touch of spring to your classroom with this delightful calendar display!
This 79-page PDF includes:
Plus the following themed calendar number cards:
Plus printables for Spring Calendar Games
Also Included: Directions, TOS, Graphics Credit
Pre-K Printable Club Members, Once you are logged in, click here to download this product for free! Not a member? Find out more here!
Keep little fingers busy this spring with these fun Spring Pattern Block Mats. This 38-page PDF includes the following mats each with different mats to choose from depending on developmental level.
These mats include 3 different levels of play for each design
The symmetry butterflies includes 3 different butterfly designs with two levels of play for each.
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Encourage a love of reading and some fine motor fun with this activity, perfect to pair with your Insect Theme. Your preschooler will build strong fingers and hands as they practice cutting the blades of grass for this easy to assemble craft. They will also enjoy peaking inside the grass to see all of the creatures living inside a backyard habitat.
Inside this PDF you will find:
Also included: TOS, Graphics Credit, Contact Information
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Elevate your preschool classroom with these engaging Spring Printable Crafts! This resource includes 10 colorful and ink-saving craft templates featuring adorable spring creatures like bunnies, bees, tulips, and more.
Let your little ones explore their creativity while developing essential fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and coloring. Create a vibrant spring mural to display in your classroom and celebrate the children's unique creations. This resource is exclusive for members and is perfect for preschool teachers looking to add some seasonal fun to their curriculum.
What's Included?
Materials Needed:
Directions:
Learning Standards:
Members can Click here to download this product for free!
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Discover the captivating world of insects with our Maria Sibylla Merian Biography Set! Perfect for preschool social studies, this resource introduces young learners to the remarkable life of Maria Sibylla Merian, an esteemed entomologist and artist.
Inside this 12-page PDF you will find:
Key Features:
TOS, and Graphics Credit
Pre-K Printables Club Members:
Log In and click here to download this product for free!
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Transform your preschool classroom into an engaging Entomology Lab with this Dramatic Play Pack! Packed with printable educational resources and props, this preschool pack encourages hands-on learning and imaginative play. Watch your students explore the world of insects and discover the wonder of science!
Included in this 42-page PDF:
Educator Set-Up Guide
Suggested Props & Standards
Suggested Station Props Tasks & Sample Photos
Directions & Assembly
Signs
Welcome to the Entomology Lab Sign
Entomology Lab Open/Closed Sign
Research Station Signs
Insect Observation Station
Measuring Station
Classifying Station
Specimen Station
Writing Elements
Insect Observation Forms
Insect Care Checklists pgs.
Labels
Printable Props
Sorting Tray
Insect & Non-Insect Specimens (Real Photos)
Insect fact cards and Specimen Inserts for bug jars (Real Photos)
Printable Digital Scale
Posters
Common Types of Insects Poster
Parts of an Insect poster
Stages of Metamorphosis poster
When I work at the Entomology Lab I can poster
Entomology Lab Fun Poster
Other
Entomology Sign Bunting
Editable Signs
Editable Labels
Editable Bunting
TOU, Graphics Credit, Contact Info
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Enhance your preschoolers early learning skills with our Bugs A to Z Book Companion! This 21-page digital download includes Vocabulary and Discussion, Book Review, Bugs A-Z Match Up Game, and Insect Lotto Game. Perfect for interactive and educational fun at home. Note: This is a digital download - no physical product will be shipped. Purchase the book separately or borrow from your local library.
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What's Included:
TOU, Graphics Credit, and Contact information
Pre-K Printables Club Members:
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Learning Centers
Preschool Learning Centers are commonly referred to as Preschool Centers, or Learning Spaces. These are activity areas dedicated to a specific type of of play and exploring a variety of topics and activities. Download our Free set of Center Signs!
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