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Preschool insect unit activities

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We’ve been doing a lot of insect-themed learning lately. I’ve shared several posts so far with ideas for learning about insects. You can find those posts on my insects unit study page. This is another post highlighting some of the many insect-themed activities we’ve done in recent weeks.

Preschool insect unit activities - books, science activities, worksheets, and other insect-themed learning for preschoolers || Gift of Curiosity

Reading books

Of course, we read several books about insects.

The Very Lonely Firefly

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

And we read one book specifically about the butterfly life cycle:

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

We didn’t read this next book, but it looks like it would have been a good fit since it is specifically about the Painted Lady species of butterflies we raised.

Painted Lady Butterflies

Butterfly life cycle

As part of our learning about butterflies, I wanted the kids to be able to identify and put in sequence the four stages of the butterfly life cycle. I purchased these great Butterfly Life Cycle Stages Characters and had the kids identify them and match them to these wonderful Insect Lore Life Cycle Matching Cards from The Helpful Garden.

Preschool insect unit activities - match the butterfly life cycle stages || Gift of Curiosity

Preschool insect unit activities - match the butterfly life cycle stages || Gift of Curiosity

Do-A-Dot Insect Printables

The kids also enjoyed using our Do A Dot Art Markers to complete some of my Do-A-Dot Insect Printables.

Preschool insect unit activities - Insect Do-A-Dot printables || Gift of Curiosity

We talked about the names of all eight insects in the pack to continue to help the kids identify various insects. Plus, the kids worked on one-to-one correspondence at the same time!

Preschool insect unit activities - Insect Do-A-Dot printables || Gift of Curiosity

Insect-themed Montessori-style trays

Next, I prepared several insect-themed trays to go on our new Montessori shelves (hopefully I’ll post about the new shelves soon!).

With this tray, the kids use the tongs to sort the ladybug and firefly mini-insect erasers into their individual spaces on each of our circular trays. This tray works on fine motor skills and sorting.

Preschool insect unit activities - insect sorting || Gift of Curiosity

This tray uses a grid and the mini-insect erasers for the kids to work on patterns by following my patterns or creating their own.

Preschool insect unit activities - insect patterning || Gift of Curiosity

I found these butterfly erasers at the dollar store a while back, and they are perfect for working on color matching and fine motor skills. The kids have to find the matching wing and put it back on the butterfly.

Preschool insect unit activities - color matching with butterfly wings || Gift of Curiosity

These butterfly clip cards are from 2 Teaching Mommies. Children count the number of butterflies on the card, then use the clothespin to clip the correct number at the bottom of the card.

Preschool insect unit activities - butterfly clip cards || Gift of Curiosity

I found these foam butterfly shapes at the dollar store several months ago and just knew they would come in handy for something someday. 🙂 I set up this jeweled butterfly symmetry activity. The kids need to use the jewels provided in the basket to make a pattern on the right wing of the butterfly that is symmetrical to the pattern on the left wing.

Preschool insect unit activities - butterfly symmetry activity || Gift of Curiosity

Singing songs

Samantha from Refusing to Drink the Cool-Aid left a great tip when commenting on another post to “Head, Thorax, Abdomen” to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” We did this and it has really helped XGirl, who is extremely musical, to learn the body parts. She has actually sung the song so much that QBoy has been asking her to stop. 🙂

Here are the lyrics we used (sung to the tune of “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”:

Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen
One, two, three, four, five, six legs
That’s what an insect has, insect has

More insect learning resources

Insect printables from Gift of Curiosity:

  • Insects Printables Pack
  • Insects Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Insects Anatomy Game
  • Insects Grid Games
  • Ant Printables Pack
  • Ant 3-Part Cards
  • Ant Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Ladybug Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Bee Do-a-Dot Printables
  • Bee Sudoku
  • Butterfly Do-a-Dot Printables


For more insect resources, activities, and printables, please see my Insects Unit Study page and my Insects Pinterest board. 

Follow Katie @ Gift of Curiosity’s board Unit Ideas: Insects & Bugs on Pinterest.

Filed Under: Preschool, Insects, Science, Zoology Tagged With: insects

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Reader Interactions

14 Comments

  1. NatashaMay

    June 9, 2013 at 11:59 pm

    This is such a good idea and it looks so much fun. 🙂

    Reply to this comment
  2. pinkoddy

    June 10, 2013 at 9:19 am

    What great ideas, and I really want the children t raise butterflies so may do all this next Spring with them. Thank you for linking up with Motivational Monday

    Reply to this comment
  3. Carla

    June 11, 2013 at 8:10 am

    I love those do-a-dot pages! Your trays look like a ton of fun too! Thanks for sharing at Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets!!

    Reply to this comment
  4. Hannah

    June 11, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    Really!!! You are awesome with all the insect stuff! Pinning this too!

    Reply to this comment
  5. Emma The Mini Mes and Me

    June 12, 2013 at 11:33 pm

    Over from the play time link up – love the printables, anything that makes learning fun is great! x

    Reply to this comment
  6. Kristen B

    June 13, 2013 at 3:48 am

    Love all of the bug supplies. Great way to learn.

    I would love it if you would link up on our Artsy Play Wednesday kids’ craft linky.

    http://www.babygiveawaysgalore.com/2013/06/artsy-play-wednesday-kids-craft-linky.html

    Reply to this comment
  7. Jennifer Lambert

    June 14, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    great activities! I can’t wait to implement some of this with my kids. We love bugs!

    Reply to this comment
  8. JDaniel4's Mom

    June 15, 2013 at 9:24 am

    I love all the hands on learning in this post! My son would love all the bugs. Thank you for linking to Read.Explore.Learn. I am pinning this post.

    Reply to this comment
  9. Carla

    June 17, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I’m featuring this in this week’s Teach Me Tuesday! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply to this comment
  10. Natasha, Big Energy Little Learners

    June 18, 2013 at 9:23 pm

    So many neat ideas for butterflies! I will be planning my butterfly lesson soon and bookmarked your page. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply to this comment
    • Katie

      June 18, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      There’s so many wonderful butterfly activities – I had lots of other ideas we didn’t even get to implement! Enjoy your butterfly lessons!

      Reply to this comment
  11. Carrie

    June 21, 2013 at 9:31 am

    Some great lessons!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

    Reply to this comment
  12. Debbie

    April 18, 2014 at 11:08 am

    Love your site with so many ideas for my insect week. Thank-you for the download of do-a-dot pintable’s! My pre-k kids will love them:)

    Thanks again for sharing!

    Reply to this comment
  13. Jackie

    April 18, 2018 at 10:58 am

    For the “Head, Thorax, Abdomen “ Song, I have been singing it with my Pre Kindergarten students, for years, with 1 slight change:

    Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Abdomen
    Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Abdomen
    Eyes, antennas & 6 legs,
    Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Abdomen

    Reply to this comment

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