Exploring the world of insects is an adventure for curious young minds. To add excitement to this exploration, we’ve assembled a variety of fun bug-themed games perfect for kids. These games are designed to spark interest in the tiny creatures that crawl and fly around us, offering both entertainment and educational value. With easy-to-follow rules and engaging activities, these games encourage learning about different types of insects, their habitats, and behaviors. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor play, they provide a hands-on approach to discovering the fascinating world of bugs. From creative crafts to interactive outdoor adventures, these bug games are sure to delight and educate young learners in an enjoyable, playful way.
Buggy Wuggy
Original Author Unknown
Do the Hokey Pokey dance with the children but substitute the parts of an insect or spider for the human parts. For example: “Put your feelers or antennae in, Put your wings in, Put your stingers in, your backbones, your legs, etc.
Ants in a Tunnel
Original Author Unknown
A tunnel was combined with two floor mats allow the children to be ants In The Tunnel. This was a great favorite.
Bee Hive Game
Original Author Unknown
Small box, brown paper, Construction Paper, Pictures of things that start with ‘B’, Picture of other things that don’t. Cover a small box with brown paper to make a beehive. Cut a slit in the top of the beehive and label it with the letter B. Cut bee shapes out of construction paper. Glue pictures of things that have names beginning with B and pictures of things that have names beginning with other letters on the bee shapes. Explain to the children that only the bees that have pictures of things whose names begin with ‘B’ can go into the ‘B’ hive. Then let the children take turns
selecting a bee and deciding whether or not it can go into the beehive.
Queen Bee Game
Original Author Unknown
Children sit in a circle on the floor. The Queen Been walks around the circle tapping children on the head and saying, “Buzz, buzz, buzz”, with each tap. Each child tapped gets out of the circle and follows the Queen around. When the Queen calls, “Go make honey” those tapped and the Queen bee run off to an empty spot. The last one to the spot is the new Queen Bee.
Kid Chrysalis
Original Author Unknown
Children can wrap each other in toilet paper (excluding their head) so they can feel what it would be like to be a caterpillar in a chrysalis (similar to a cocoon). Have them close their eyes and imagine that they are about to become butterflies. Have them stretch their “wings” and tear through the toilet paper chrysalis. Recycle toilet paper to be used with a different project!
Butterfly Relay Race
Original Author Unknown
Cut out flower shapes from construction paper. Set or tape the flowers along one wall of the room. Divide children into three or four person relay teams. Have the children stand opposite the wall of flowers. Explain that the goal of the game is to “fly” to a flower, tag it, and fly back to the team. Each butterfly in turn takes a turn, until everyone on a team has touched a flower.
Butterfly Hopscotch
Original Author Unknown
Purchase butterfly stickers. Draw hopscotch on the sidewalk or floor. Each player needs a beanbag to toss. The players take turns tossing his/her beanbag into the squares. The child is to try to name the stage of the butterfly on the picture or kind of butterfly his/her beanbag has landed on. He goes until he cannot name what his beanbag has landed on. then he will wait in the “butterfly wing” for his/her next turn.
Caterpillar to Butterflies
Submitted by: Kimberly Wilson
Put those springy crawl-through tubes to good use this spring. “Scrunch” one down and let a child climb in. Give him a colorful scarf. Bring up the tube and say your favorite caterpillar-to-butterfly poem. “Scrunch” the tube back down and let the butterfly fly out! Kids love this during a study of creepy crawlies. Fun thing to put in a movement center as well!
Worm Hunt Game
Original Author Unknown
Get a pack (or 2 or 3) of red pipe cleaners. Cut them into 2-inch lengths. Before the kids arrive, hide the pipe cleaners in the yard. For the little kids, hide in obvious places, harder places for older ones. The children hunt for the “worms”, and bring them to paper cups in the middle of the yard. You can do counting activities as they find the worms.