Young Learners: Get Buggy!

Bugs
Share: Bring something shaped like a semi circle
Book: Bugs Bugs Bugs by Scholastic Books
Book: Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer by Susan Hood
Book: Rise and Shine Busy Bugs by Matt Mitter
Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

the children LOVE this giant board book. We take turns pushing the caterpillar through the holes in all of the food that the caterpillar eats, and make funny eating sounds. It's a good time.

Fine Motor: Bug Puzzles

Fine Motor: Build a Bug

Fine Motor/Sensory: Dig for Bugs!I added plastic bugs to the macaroni sensory bin and gave the children small plastic rakes and tweezers for digging and extracting.

Dramatic Play: Plastic Bugs
Provide the children with a set of large plastic bugs, nets, and containers to learn and explore with.

Dramatic Play: Bug Puppets

Science: Insect Information Cards
Learn about different kinds of insects. Where do they live? What do they eat? Can they fly? How many legs do they have?

Math/Cognitive: Bug Match Game
Place 2 sets of plastic bugs under plastic cups and encourage the children to play match game. Can they name the type of bug when they get a match?

Gross Motor: Bug Hunt!<img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; height: 300px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732812899251126226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZito4uZ8y0wVtDOS0JoMTSwnRmUF1ZH1IOgQcwvLq7W5oH5lM6fWkhsDWZHwKDygOq5hpTbNnXorEZcP60tR9PIfiUy5mqG5rr-E1KAcGCz5b9WX-DiulnrdQA09f7KL6vft5wwM9Z8/s400/2012+April+032.JPG" />
Hide a variety of plastic bugs around the yard. Provide the children with magnifying glasses, nets and plastic bug containers to “catch” the bugs with.There is always time to stop and make a dandelion wish or play Ring Around the Rosie at Mrs. Meg's.

Art: Thumbprint bugs and spider stamping
These turned out REALLY cute! We made bumble bees, spiders, butterflies, ants, and of course, hungry caterpillars with colored ink and thumbprints.

Sensory: Grow a bug
Give the children a bucket of water and a set of grow-a-bug tablets. Help them identify the different kind of bugs in the tablets as they dissolve in the water.

Science: Observe the life cycle of a butterfly as we hatch and grow caterpillar eggs in a mesh net cage.
We have two in cocoons already! Can't wait to release them in a couple weeks!

Media: Disney’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This is an excellent 4 minute animated read along of Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar. The children were in heaven...and suprised me when it came time for the caterpillar to eat, they all made the "nom nom nom" sound effect that I do when we read the large book with the puppet! I guess they decided it was missing from the animated version. Love it. Love them.