Critter Crawl

Critter Crawl

Pre-program

Insect Headbands
Ask adult/child teams to make insect head bands. Use strips of card stock to go around the head. Attach pipe cleaner antennae. Invite participants to wear them to story time.

Story

Hey, Little Ant by Phillip & Hannah Hoose
Are You a Ladybug? by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries
The Very Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
Discuss story

Activity: Ants Are Busy

Play a march as the children pretend to be ants. When music stops, the children scamper like ants and hide under a table (an ant nest).

Show & Tell: To Be An Insect

Showing an insect collection, discuss what features all insects have: 6 legs, 3 body parts, 2 antennae.
Have the participants stand (adults too!) and repeat your words and motions.

“To be an insect,”
“you must have.”                                      hands on hips
“3 body parts”                                          show 3 fingers
“…a head”                                                put hands on head
“…a thorax”                                             hands on chest
“…an abdomen”                                       hands on stomach
“that means tummy”
“2 antennae”                                            wiggle 2 fingers on top of head
“and 6 legs.”                                             show 6 fingers
“Now count with me!”
“1,2,3,4,5,6.”                                             stomp while counting

Parent/Child Activity: Bug Crawl

Have each team hunt for bugs along a foot long length of string. Count how many insects you find. Count their legs. Did you find anything that had more than 6 legs? Anything with no legs?

Snack

Serve ants on a log. (Celery with peanut butter or cream cheese and raisins)

-or-

Create an edible insect with crackers, cream cheese or jam, licorice whips or pretzels, raisins, etc. Use 3 crackers for body, raisins for eyes or spots, licorice whips or pretzels for 2 antennae and 6 legs

Song/Poem: Crawly Ant

See the little
Crawly ant
Walk across
The floor.
See the little
Crawly ant
Walk right to
the door

See the little
Crawly ant
Creep out
In the sun.
Come again
Crawly ant.
Watching you
Is Fun!

Other books

Gotta Go, Gotta Go This is a story about a monarch caterpillar that has “gotta go gotta go” to Mexico even though he has no idea where that is.

References

Bugs to Bunnies – Hands-on Animal Science Activities for Young Children

Activities provided by:

Polk County Conservation Board
Ginny Malcomson
Nature Tots is funded by Polk County Conservation Board, West Des Moines Park and Recreation, and the Des Moines Chapter of the Izaak Walton League.

Age:
_ 0-1
_ 1-2
_ 2-3
✓ 3-4
_ 4-5
_ 5-6

Category: Adult-Child

Iowa Early Learning Standards:
8.2, 9.1, 9.3, 10.3, 11.1, 11.2, 12.1, 12.4, 13.1, 13.2, 14.3

Related Kindernature Resources: Other Resources: