This Ladybug Craft for Toddlers is a fun way to teach kids about bugs and nature. It also helps them develop their fine motor skills while having loads of fun.
My toddler will be the first person in the house to run screaming from a “buzzing bee” or ask daddy to get rid of a “crawly spider.” To say she isn’t a fan of insects may be an understatement.
So when it came time to create a science project for a toddler involving insects, our options at first seemed pretty limited.
She was NOT interested in collecting dead bugs to fossilize them with honey like mommy wanted.
Nor did she want to look at pictures or create habitats for crawling insects.
I had a problem on my hands, because while it’s totally okay to NOT like bugs, I didn’t want her wishing them all dead either.
It’s important for kids to respect the natural environment around them.
Teaching Kids to Love and Respect Nature
Whether they are bug lovers or not, it’s important that kids learn to respect nature — including bugs of all kinds — starting at an early age.
When they discover the beauty of a butterfly, or the role ants play in the world or even how termites help people, kids can learn to appreciate bugs — and not fear them.
We spent some time exploring the internet and discovered some really cool facts about insects like Bee’s, Crickets and Butterflies.
The latter of which finally piqued my daughter’s interest.
She had been to visit our local Butterfly Garden and admired the delicate nature and beauty of butterflies.
Unfortunately, they’re few and far between during fall in Michigan.
Coccinellidae aka Ladybug
Fortunately, we rediscovered an insect nearly as cute, Coccinellidae. But perhaps you know them by the more common name, Ladybug.
Fun Fact: Nearly all Ladybugs (beetles) feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
They help protect crops and plants so you can see why gardeners love them! A very hungry adult ladybug can devour 50 aphids per day.
Do you remember crafting at school? It was fun and creative!
Ladybugs have always been a favorite of mine, and I love making crafts for kids.
They are cute and colorful, and they are also super easy to make.
While we created this super fun DIY Ladybug Craft Project, we took the time to talk about the way insects, bugs, and beetles (ladybugs aren’t insect, they’re beetles) make our environment better.
Interesting Lady Bug Facts
Ladybugs are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures.
They may not seem like much but they play an important role in the environment.
They help keep pest insects down by eating them. In fact, Lady Bugs eat more than 200 kinds of pests including aphids that can damage your garden.
You’ll find some of these on your plants or even around inside your home.
The bright colors of their exoskeletons protect them from predators such as birds and spiders who might mistake them for tasty treats.
In addition to being good bug hunters, lady bugs are very useful when it comes time to remove dead leaves, twigs, seeds and other debris from your yard.
They’re great natural fertilizers because they excrete nitrogen-rich liquid waste called honeydew.
This is why lady bugs are often seen all over gardens looking for food.
Are All Ladybugs Red with Black Spots?
A lot of people mistakenly think that lady bugs look alike, but there are actually several species that vary greatly in size and color.
Some are large with long antennae while others are small with short ones.
Their coloring ranges from light green through shades of yellow, orange or brown.
There are also various patterns of spots on each wing. All of this variety makes identifying individual bugs tricky.
More Fun Facts About Ladybugs
- Ladybugs are also known as Ladybird beetles or ladybirds. More than 100 species live in North America alone.
- Ladybugs eat aphids and other insects. They are found throughout North America and Europe.
- Ladybugs can be found on trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, vegetables, fruits, and even inside homes.
- In some parts of Africa, people believe that if a person is bitten by a lady bug it will protect them from malaria.
- The best time to find ladybugs is during spring when temperatures start rising.
- Ladybugs don’t bite humans unless provoked. If you see a ladybug near your home, just leave it alone because it doesn’t want anything bad to happen to itself.
- Ladybugs shed their skins once every year so they look different each season. When this happens, new ones appear out of nowhere.
- Ladybugs are red to warn predators! It says “Stay away, I’m toxic!”
Easy Paper Plate Ladybug Craft for Toddlers
Make your very own easy paper plate ladybug craft for toddlers with just a few simple supplies.
This is an awesome project that will keep your littles entertained while you are busy doing errands or cleaning the house.
The best part of this craft? It’s made out of recyclable materials like paper plates and pipe cleaners, so it not only teaches creativity but also sustainability!
Follow these steps below to make one for yourself.
DIY Ladybug Craft for Toddlers
This craft will give your child a chance to explore the world around him or her, as well as learning about bugs and nature.
Materials
- 2 Paper Plates
- 3 Black Pipe Cleaners
- 1 Piece of Red Construction Paper
- 1 Piece of Black Construction Paper
- 2 Round Head Fasteners
- Red Paint (Acrylic or Kids Finger Paint)
Tools
- Paint Brush
- Black Marker
- Safety Scissors
- Scissors for Adults
- A cylinder about 2-3 inches in diameter (for tracing)
Instructions
- Begin by painting the back of one of the paper plates red.
- While it dries, trace the inside (where you would place food) of the second paper plate onto your piece of red construction paper and cut out.
- Once you have the circle cut out, fold it in half and cut, forming two halves of the shell.
- Secure the two halves onto the red plate with the fasteners. This will create the Elytra (commonly, but incorrectly, called the wings of a ladybug).
- Once they're fastened use your cylinder object to trace and cut out four circles from the black paper. Glue them to the ladybugs wings.
- Finally cut one of the pipe cleaners into 3 equal portions. Repeat with the rest of the pipe cleaners. You should have 9 pieces total. 6 for legs, 2 for antennae and 1 to save for another project.
- Apply the pipe cleaners to the underside of your paper plate using crafting glue.
- Finally, write fun facts you have learned about Ladybugs under the Elytra.
Notes
You may need to pre-poke the holes with your scissors to get the fasteners through.
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