Go on a Bug Safari

Looking for a fun activity to do with your kids this summer? Go on a bug safari! Welcome back to Summer Fun Fridays.

Be sure to scroll down and grab our FREE printable Bug Safari booklet. We have some fun coloring pages, observation logs,

text reads go on a bug safari - images show a bee on a yellow flower, a ladybug on a leaf, a butterfly on a pink flower, ants crawling on a green stem and eating aphids, butterfly perched on an orange flower, grasshopper

Grab our FREE Printable Bug Safari Guide and Coloring Pages below.

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Important Guidelines:

Be sure to teach your children to use a gentle approach so as not to hurt the bugs.
Lay your hand flat to hold the bugs.
Always return the bugs to their natural environment.
Use a guidebook and know which bugs are which. Be sure to only touch the ones that are safe to do so.
If the kids are using magnifying glasses, be sure to teach them how to use them safely and not hold them so that sunbeams are aimed at the bugs and burning them. I think it takes quite a bit of time and concentrated effort to do so, but I honestly don’t know for sure because I never did that as a child. Better to be safe than sorry.

While on Your Bug Safari:

Encourage conversation with your kids. Use statements starting with I wonder, I notice, What do you think would happen if, That reminds me of, and so on to encourage them to start developing the skills of scientific observation.
Ask them about the colors they see. How else can they describe the insects, what they’re doing, or where they found them? How many legs do they have? Do they have any spots or stripes? How many. If they found a group of insects, a colony of ants for example, how many do they see?
Ask them what questions they have about the bugs they see – or others they are interested in. Do some research online or grab some books and try to find the answers.

Here are some open-ended questions to ask kids about bugs.

Follow-Up Activities:

Make bug-related craft projects (see below for some links to some we like).
Put out a variety of items from the recycling bin and craft supplies you have on hand and challenge the kids to design their own bugs.

Recommended Products:

Disclosure: Some of the links in the post below are affiliate links provided for your convenience. This means that if you purchase something through one of these links, I get a small commission at no added cost to you.

National Geographic Bug Collector Kit

Make-Your-Own Bug Catcher Kit

Make A Bug Hotel — DIY Nature Craft Kit

The Backyard Bug Book for Kids: Storybook, Insect Facts, and Activities (Let’s Learn About Bugs and Animals)

Little Wonders BUGS – Introduction to the World of Bugs Multi-Activity Children’s Board Book Including Flaps, Wheels, Tabs, and More

The Fascinating Bug Book for Kids: 500 Startling Facts! (Fascinating Facts)

Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete

Bug Reference Ever (National Geographic Kids)

Everything You Need to Know About Bugs (Smithsonian Book)

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Bugs (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books)