Do your kids like little creepy crawlies? Or perhaps cute lady bugs? Understanding what these little creatures do and where they fit in the food chain can help to overcome fears of these 6-legged things. Personally, I’m not a fan of them (especially earwigs, a few of which have hitched a ride home with us from our camping trip). But they can also be a bit fun with fun dice games and math games, too. I’m hoping that by having a few insect books around the house, my children won’t be as creeped out by bugs.
I do believe it’s working as now Tristan (and sometimes Kallista) will gently gather bugs up onto a piece of paper and release them them outdoors into a more suitable habitat. And if your child has a keen interest in the small world around them, here is my nature lover’s gift guide: it’s great to encourage children learn more about something they’re interested in.
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Insect Books
Perhaps the best place to begin, or for real enthusiasts, is to learn about insects is with a good science book.
- Smithsonian Handbooks: Insects
- Simon & Schuster Children’s Guide to Insects and Spiders
- The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Insects: A natural history and identification guide to beetles, flies, bees wasps, springtails, mayflies, …
If you want to start with something a little less ‘dry’ then one of these bug books might work better for you.
- The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects!
- Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever (National Geographic Kids)
- Everything Bug: What Kids Really Want to Know about Bugs
Sometimes a good storybook can help children learn that bugs aren’t to be feared, and with illustrations rather than photographs, insects can appear more ‘cute’.
- On Beyond Bugs: All About Insects (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library)
- Who Lives In My Garden?
- Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre and His World of Insects
And for a little of this and that (and how to make your own bug house, if you want to get up close and personal), here are three more choices:
- Bird, Bee & Bug Houses: Simple Projects for Your Garden
- Fly Guy Presents: Insects (Scholastic Reader, Level 2)
- Slugs, Bugs, and Salamanders: Discovering Animals in Your Garden
Lego Fun:
Here’s a popular post about a fabulous Lego Wall by Steam Powered Family:
Anne Campbell says
This is a wonderful resource of insect books! My son loves the Fly Guy books–I’m going to look for that one for him!