What young child wouldn’t enjoy going on a bug hunt? And what garden parent wouldn’t like to see a few Japanese beetles go missing from the green bean plants? This is where the outdoor bug hunt will be pleasing for both kids and adults alike. The outdoor activity will keep the children busy for hours in nature. With the proper tools, the exercise can even be educational as well as a benefit to those delicate outdoor plants.
Get an Insect Guide Book
One of the best kid-friendly yet extremely informative insect guidebooks is The National Audubon Society series. Get the one that focuses on the area that your family lives. These guidebooks have detailed pictures of many different insects and spiders. While on the bug hunt, children can compare what they have found with what is in the guide, learning a huge amount of interesting facts along the way.
As a matter of fact, kids will enjoy many of the other science and nature books in the National Audubon Society series. There are guidebooks for weather, trees & leaves, rocks & minerals, and many more.
Get a Magnifying Glass and/or a Bug Vacuum
A bug vacuum is so much fun for the kids. Encourage them to use the vacuum on the many different insects that are found out in nature or in the garden. One of the best uses for bug vacuums is to collect ants, grasshoppers, beetles (especially the pesky ones that destroy vegetables and flower plants), and spiders. The vacuum shouldn’t harm the critters, and they can be observed with a magnifying glass (usually one comes with the vacuum) and released (elsewhere!) once the science experiment is complete.
Note: The vacuum should not be used on frogs, snakes, or other animals, of course!
Tags: Garden Pests Kids Love, Insect Hunts, Outdoor Bug Hunt For Kids
