BUG & INSECT ART

 

THUMBPRINT BUGS
Give your child a small piece of paper.
Place some paint on a small plate.

Have your child dip a finger in the paint and press the finger onto his paper.

Have your child make 3-5 prints on his paper.
When the paint is dry, give your child a non-permanent black marker and have him make legs and antennae on his print bugs.
 
INK DAUBER BUGS
Set out some paper and some colorful ink dobbers (bingo type).
Have your child make circle prints on her paper.
Give your child a small tip black non-permanent marker to make legs, etc.
Variation: For younger children, you could add the legs, etc.
   
DAUBER SPIDERS

Set out some paper and a black ink dobber for your child.

Have him make circle prints on his paper.
Let your child add legs, etc, with a black marking pen.
 
ROCK LADY BUGS
You will need a smooth round 3” rock for this project.

Let your child help you by washing the rock in a pan of soapy water.

Rinse the rock and let it dry.
Set out some red paint and a paint brush.
Set the rock on some newspaper and let your child paint the rock red. Let dry.
Using black paint, paint across one side and a thin line down the middle.
Finally, have your child make black dots on both sides of the ladybud.
 
PAPER PLATE LADY BUG

Have your child paint a paper plate red.

When dry, have her paint a section on one edge for a black head.
Have your child draw a black line down the middle using a black marking pen.
Finally have your child add black ladybug dots on the plate using the marker.
 
EGG CARTON CATERPILLARS
Cut the bottom of a cardboard egg carton down the middle, leaving a six-cup section.
Turn the section over and place it on some newspaper.
Have your child paint the section green.
When dry, poke two small holes at one end and weave a 3” piece of a black pipe cleaner through the hole, with two ends sticking out for antennae.
Have your child paint on, or glue on, two black paper eyes on the sides of the top cup.
 
DAUBER CATERPILLARS
Using green paint dobbers (bingo type), have your child make green circles on his paper in a line.
Using a small lined black marker add antennae and eyes.
 
PAPER CHAIN CATERPILLARS
Give your child four 1” strips of green paper 4” long.
Set out some glue and have your child loop the paper into circles and create a green paper chain.
Finally, help your child glue a small antennae and a red 1” pom onto the front chain.
Watch these friendly critters wiggle across the table.
 
ANTENNAE HEADBANDS
You will need two large Chennelles and two ½” poms for this activity.
Cut out a 2” x 14” paper headband for your child.
Let your child decorate the headband however she wishes using marking pens.
Next, wrap the Chennelles around a pencil to make them curly.
Let your child help glue a pom to the end of each curly antennae.
Then tape the antennae to the back of the middle of the headband.
Place the bug headband on your child and tape it to fit.
 
BUMBLE BEE
Cut out a bumble bee shape from yellow paper (approximately 6” long). It needs to include a head section, a body section and a pointed tail section.
Give the cut out to your child along with a black marking pen.
Have your child draw black lines up and down across the body of the bee.
Now take a 4” x 8” piece of waxed paper and fold it in half.
Cutting on the fold, cut out a wing shape.
Cut the wings in two.
Have your child help glue the wings, one to each side of the top of the bee.
Fold the wings down on both sides.
Show your child how to hold his bee and flap his wings.
 
FIREFLIES
Set out a piece of black construction paper.
Set out some white and some yellow paint on two small plates or in small cups.
Show your child how to place her finger into the white paint and press sets of white circle across her paper 1/2 apart.
When the white circles are dry, have her make yellow prints in the middle of each set of white circles.
Voila! She will end up with fireflies flying across her paper!
 
Additional Spider Art and Caterpillar art can be found on the Art Station’s Home Page.