Bottle Cap Beehive – have the children use bottle caps to make circle prints on yellow paper. We used yellow and brown tempera paint, but the children could make their hives any color desired. When the children are finished printing with the caps, cut the paper into a hive shape.
Laminate (or cover with clear contact paper) the painted beehives above (make sure the bottle cap paint prints are thoroughly dry) and let the children make play dough bees to play with on the beehive.
I’m a Busy Bumblebee Song (to the tune “She’ll be Comin’ Around the Mountain)
I’m a busy, busy, busy bumblebee, BUZZ! BUZZ!
I’m a busy, busy, busy bumblebee, BUZZ! BUZZ!
As I sit on a flower all day long,
I’ll grab that pollen and SING THIS SONG!
I’m a busy, busy, busy bumblebee, BUZZ! BUZZ!
~adaptation to traditional by The Preschool Toolbox
Have the children make “Bumblebee” rings to wear while singing their song! Make the bumblebee rings from one yellow Wikki Stix (spiral) for the body, 1/4 of a black Wikki Stix for each antennae, and 1/2 of a black Wikki Stix (to wrap around the yellow body and twist closed around each child’s finger.)
Bee Color Words and Colors – Bee Color Words and Color Match
Materials needed: One Bee Color Words and Color Match printable (linked above) for each student and scissors.
Print the file for each of your children onto heavy paper and laminate. Have the children cut out each of the cards (assist younger children). Read the color words to your children and see if they can match the color word to the corresponding color. For younger children, print two copies of the colors only page and have the children match the colors without the color words. As the color words are introduced, it helps to have the children look at the beginning letter to help them decide what color word it is: begin with the primary colors and expand as the children catch on (BLUE, BLACK, BROWN and PURPLE/PINK are going to present the same beginning letter and the children will have to look beyond the FIRST letter or two in those color words.)
Extension: Print several copies of the file and have the children play a matching game (memory style) with either the words only, the colors only, or both. Have the children turn the cards face down and pick two cards at a time. If the cards match, the player gets to keep those cards. If they are not a match, the player turns the cards face down again and play continues to another student.
NUMBER WORDS and NUMBERS – Print the NUMBER WORDS and NUMBERS file – Bee Number Words and Numbers for the children and have the children match numbers to the corresponding number words. Younger children can match numbers to numbers. There are several blank bee cards for use with any numbers/number words your children might be working on.
Wikki Stix© Bees and Bee Stick Puppet Crafts
Materials needed: Yellow and Black Wikki Stix© and crafts sticks (if making stick puppets).
Demonstrate for the children how to make a spiral out of the yellow Wikki Stix©. We used three Wikki Stix© to make the bee’s body. Make black spirals for the bee’s head. Fold black Wikki Stix© and made the antennae, body lines, and the bee’s stinger. The Wikki Stix© have an adhesive property that allows the body parts to stick together without using glue.
Extension: have the children wrap a craft stick with yellow and black Wikki Stix© and press the bee (made above) to the craft stick. We use the bee stick puppets when we sing the “Busy Bumblebee” song above.
Kids love to learn and talk about insects! For MORE great teaching ideas see the Ladybug and Insect Theme here on the blog!
