Insects

Read I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown.  What kind of bugs does your child like?
  

Fine Motor Skills:
Set out insect rubbing plates, paper, and colored pencils.  Help your child make rubbings of at least a few different insects.  The below rubbing plates are available at www.DiscountSchoolSupply.com.    

Photo:  www.discountschoolsupply.com

Math Skills:
Look at the rubbings with your child and discuss how those insects look different and similar.  The key similarity among insects is that they have six legs.  Count the legs on each of the rubbings.   

Science Project:  

Read Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Talk about what the caterpillar ate in the book.  What kind of foods made him feel bad?  What kind of food made his tummy feel good?  

Ask your child, what do insects eat?  Together set out four small bowls of various substances in your back yard (e.g., water, vinegar, ketchup, honey).  Have your child hypothesize about which substance the bugs will be attracted to most.  Let the bowls sit outside for a couple of hours.  Check back on the bowls to discover which substance is most popular and which kinds of insects were interested.

Nature:
Go on a bug hunt with your child and look for insects.  Bring a magnifying glass along so that your child can look at his findings up close.  Bring an insect field guide with you to identify the insects.  You should be able to find a field guide like the following at your local library: National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders and Related Species of North America by Arthur Evans.

Snack:  
Biscuits and honey (or even better -- honeycomb!)  Guess which insect makes honey?  Have a conversation with your child about honeybees while you're enjoying your snack.  What do honeybees make the honey from?  What do honeybees live in?