There’s nothing that gets me buzzing more than an exciting learning activity – the kind of learning center where preschoolers wait in line to play and, obviously, to learn! That’s what I’m talking about! And so, with these insect preschool activities for your literacy centers, I hope your preschoolers buzz, hop, crawl, and slither on over for a fun learning adventure.
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Insect Lesson Plans
Ant Farm letter Matching
Insect Preschool Activities
The ants go marching one by one, and so will your little ones’ fingers as they tunnel down into this alphabet ant farm.
Flip a letter card (or a sight word card) and march your ant, aka your friendly dried black bean, down into the ant tunnel to find the matching letter or sight word.
This maze of tunnels feels like a labyrinth as your little ones pretend to tunnel down their tiny ants, adding to the excitement of this insect literacy activity.
Materials:
- Ant Farm ABC
- dried black beans
Bugs A-Z Puzzles
Initial Sound Activity
Did you know there are over one million species of insects?
Now, you’d think there’d be a recognizable bug for every letter of the alphabet so our preschoolers can practice their beginning sounds, but alas, x (and even the letter o) got me again.
But it’s all good because even if you’re unsure what letter of the alphabet these bugs begin with, these bug alphabet puzzles are self-correcting. All of those puzzle pieces only work with their matching letter, making this insect activity perfect for independent bug centers.
Materials:
Worm Writing
Insect Letter Formation Activity
How brave are you? Or, more importantly, how wiggly is your class this year?
No matter where your students are at, this worm fine motor and letter formation activity can wiggle right in.
Make letters out of pretend worms or play dough worms to work on fine motor skills.
Write letters in a brown paint sensory bag or pudding (see, that’s why I asked your level of bravery).
Or, if you simply need to work on letter formation, trace the letters on the cards with a dry-erase marker.
How to make a sensory bag:
Cut a lamination pouch in half (to make a smaller version).
Use a flat iron to seal the two sides connected to the already sealed side.
Squeeze brown paint inside, and be careful not to touch the lamination pouch where you are going to seal.
Gently press the air out.
Use a flat iron to seal the last side.
P.S. I know worms are not insects, as discovered in our insect science activities.
Materials:
- Worm Letter Formation Cards
- brown play dough
- plastic worms
- lamination pouch
- brown paint
- flat iron
- chocolate pudding
Insect Syllables Activity
Insect Preschool Activities
When a grasshopper shows up in your life, it means you are taking the right steps forward in whatever you are doing.
This is your sign to grab this insect syllables activity because a friendly grasshopper has shown up to help count syllables in each insect word by hopping from leaf to leaf.
Your preschoolers will love naming the bugs, hopping from syllable to syllable, and capturing them in the right jar.
Materials:
- Insect Syllables Activity
- 4 small tubs (Dollar Tree)
- grasshopper counters
Ladybug Rhyming Activity
Rhyming Words & Word Families
It seems that ladybugs are always among the most popular bugs. Nobody is running to step on them or quickly brush them off.
Our ladybug rhyming activity is no different – it’s popular and welcome to stay around long after it is initially discovered!
Your preschoolers will enjoy finding the rhyming words and word families on every ladybug’s spots.
As snug as a bug in a rug, each rhyming ladybug provides a simple and effective way to reinforce a foundational literacy skill through a hands-on activity!
Materials:
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MORE Insect Activities for Preschoolers
Set the bug spray aside and welcome the ladybugs, worms, ants, and insects alike for a thrilling and memorable bug theme. You won’t regret embracing some of nature’s tiniest critters as they take your learners along an engaging literacy journey with these insect preschool activities!
