It’s a buggy world we’re living in this month! Mosquitoes, black flies, ants, worms, ladybugs, bees, flies and butterflies, they’re suddenly everywhere! Last week at story time we dug deeply into the world of bugs, insects and spiders. Though we may want to swat many of these pesky creatures away, slowing down and observing them can help our kids develop an appreciation for these tiny creatures’ contributions to our planet. As we watch them working, gathering food and tending to their families, we, and our kids develop our curiosity and compassion for our fellow creatures.
Amy read “Ladybug, Ladybug” by Ruth Heller which pointed out that there are families all around us. And Amy got us up and moving quickly like bees, slowly like snails, and marching busily like ants. Polly took us outside to look for some of our tiny neighbors, finding a worm under some bark, ants under a rock and a millipede scurrying across some leaves.
Extend the play:
- Go outside with your kids and ask them, “Are we the only creatures in this woods/field/yard right now? Who else is here with us?”
- Tell them, “There are some exciting places to meet more tiny friends. Would you like to see?” Find a decomposing log, and peel off some bark. Look under large rocks. Turn over some logs. If you want, bring along a jar with holes in the top, or a big bowl and put some critters in for easier observation. Tell kids that we can observe creatures in a way that will keep them safe and not too scared. Be mindful to keep this to a minimum, protecting habitats as much as we can.
- When you find some creatures, wonder aloud with your kids, “How did the bugs we saw move? Can anyone move like the bugs they saw?” Let kids experiment with moving like bugs.
- If you find some new tiny friends outside, encourage your kids to draw a picture. And if they do, we’d love to see them!
On Tuesday, May 26:
Your librarians sure do like dirt! Amy has been spending a lot of time digging in her garden and is excited to show you some of the things that she has found down under the surface of the ground. Polly, as always, is playing in the dirt outside and has some fun to share as she creates with some of the wonderfully accessible materials we all have right outside the door.
If you’d like to join our weekly story time, email [email protected]. We’d love to have you join us!