Bug Hunt

What you need: 

• insect guide and spider guide (from the library) 
• magnifying glass 
• paper 
• pen or pencil

What to do:

1. With your child, search your home and neighborhood for bugs. Places to look include: in corners, around the front door, in the backyard, in sidewalk cracks, on plants, on lights.
2. When you find a bug, observe it closely with the magnifying glass. Use the guides to identify it. Then record your findings. Your child may also want to draw the bug.
3. Collect observations over the course of a week, or maybe even a month. Then create a bar graph to show what kinds of bugs you found. What kinds were most common? Can you think of any reason why you found more of this type than others?

Learning benefits: 

• strengthens observation skills 
• enhances understanding of the ways bugs are classified