Bee Tag

Play like Freeze Tag only have one child be a bee and sting people to freeze them.

Assess

participates in movement activities and games

Bug Obstacle Course

Set up obstacles in a large movement area.
Move through the course like different kinds of bugs. You can use picture cards to determine which type of bug each child will go through as.

Assess

coordinates advanced large motor movements

Spider Race

Choose 4 children to run the race. They lock arms in a circle with everyone facing out. Have them run (or walk!) to a designated area and back. This is a great exercise in cooperation!

Assess

walks with balance

Bug Rocks

Go on a hunt for rocks or have the children bring some in. Provide poster paints for the children to use to paint the rocks to look like bugs.

Assess

builds representations

creates original work

Bug Catching

Provide gloves, bug jars, tweezers and toy bugs. Place the bugs in different parts of the room.
Children take turns using the tools to capture the toy bugs safely. One child catches a bug while the other children help them with the tools. Remind them not to touch the bug with their bare hands. Remember to let the bugs go at the end of group for the next group to find.

Assess

practices safe conduct

Observing Ants

Leave a cracker outside on a sidewalk away from where the children play where you usually see ants. Check on it during the day. Tell your children not to interfere with the ants as you watch them carry off pieces of the crackers back to their anthill. Talk about how ants leave a scent as they walk from the food to their home so that other ants will be able to find the food and get home.

Assess

shows respect for others

Worm Hunt

Cut red pipe cleaners into 2-inch lengths. Scatter them in the yard.
Give each child a paper cup and send them on a worm hunt. Set a timer for 1-2 minutes and then call them back to count how many worms they found all together. Write the answers on a chart.

Assess

counts

recognizes numbers

compares numbers

Bee Science Fun

Give each child a cotton ball and go to a grassy area that has flowers growing.
Have the children gently rub the flowers with their cotton ball and see if they can pick up any pollen. Talk about how flowers attract bees to them by giving them nectar to drink. While they are there the bee gets pollen on his legs and when he visits another flower some of the first pollen rubs off. That is how flowers send messages to each other and help each other grow. Talk about other ways the flower might send pollen to another flower.

Assess

makes observations

uses scientific words and phrases

Caterpillar Hunt

Go on a walk looking for caterpillars or leaves that have been eaten by caterpillars.

Assess

uses senses and tools to observe