Children love watching bugs scurrying around outside. Bug hunting is a great way to get children up close to nature and it also helps with their observation skills and gives them the chance to get hands on with the little creepy crawlies. Here are our top 5 tips for bug hunting with your child.
1. Look in Dark, Damp Places
Bugs live in all sorts of different habitats but most prefer dark, damp spots so this is a great place to start. Look under large stones, in long grass and in the cracks in tree bark to see what you can find.
2. Use an Identification Sheet
You will find lots of bug books and bug identification sheets online – make sure you have one to hand so you can try and identify all the creepy crawlies you find together. Or maybe even make your own based on what you find.
3. Use a Transparent Container
You could use a clear container to view your findings in more detail – just make sure it has an air hole to keep them safe. Also try looking at them with a magnifying glass – see if you can count how many legs they have and what different colourings there are.
4. Pick Up the Bugs Carefully
Use a stick, leaf or a piece of bark if you don’t want to handle the bugs directly. Use this to place them into your container or to watch how they crawl around.
5. Teach Your Child about Respecting the Bugs
Creepy crawlies are living creatures too so encourage your child to be careful with them and also to put them back in their ‘home’ once you have finished looking at them.
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