Set Up Time: 15+ min
Activity Time: 45-60 min
Mess Level: Medium
These bug wands are the perfect way to use recycled cardboard, bottle caps, egg cartons, and whatever you find in your craft bin! We teamed up with Rozanne from Bright Little Brains to create playful summer activities. Follow along on Instagram for more bug inspiration, ideas, and fun facts!
We love doing craft activities outside, especially during the summer. Gather materials from the scrap pile or recycling and head to the backyard for this maker play activity that turns cardboard into the most beautiful creations!
What you need:
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Glue
- Acrylic paint sticks, paint, or crayons
- Skewer stick or paint stirrer
Look for materials around the house to decorate your bug:
- Googly eyes
- Bubble wrap
- Colorful cotton balls
- String, ribbons, wool
- Egg carton
- Shape cutouts
- Bottle caps
- Pipe cleaners
- Buttons
How to Make Crafty Bug Wands:
- Cut the cardboard into four bug body parts. Decide how big or small you want to make the bug, depending on the amount of cardboard you have on hand. Older kids can do this step independently, and younger kids can draw the shapes for you to cut out for them.
- We used these shapes to create the bugs – but there are no rules – a half-circle for the head, an oval for the body, and almond shapes for the wings.
- Display all the different materials in a tray or table to make it visible and readily available for little hands.
- Encourage kids to paint the cardboard bug parts. We used acrylic paint sticks because they dry super fast and are less messy.
- Kids can paste the bug parts together with glue and decorate the bugs using all the different materials you have on hand.
- Add a stick to the back of the bug with glue.
Play Tips:
Creative arts and crafts projects help children develop essential fine motor skills along with concentration and self-expression.
Younger kids can practice using color and shape words as they build their vocabulary.
The bug wands can become puppets, masks, or use for pretend play. Kids can use bugs for a bug race, a bug play, or a bug dance party. Does your bug have a silly voice?
Learn about bugs in the HOMER Learn & Grow app with stories and games like Surprise! Bugs!, Drawboard: Ladybug, Sid the Science Kid: Ants, All About Bugs, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
