Reading and Writing Adventures:
Bugs in Your Backyard!
By Brenda Hyde
Reading is one of the most important things
you can do with your kids. It prepares them for
their future, it encourages them to be creative, to
use their imaginations and it's quality time that
you spend with them as they grow. It's fun to have theme days
where your day revolves around a central theme for
reading, snacks and activities. Backyard bugs are
fascinating to kids and this theme
works well for toddlers as well as older kids. They
all love bugs!
Visit the library and find both informational books such
as the 
Eyewitness series of books from DK Publishing,
and picture books that use bugs as characters.
(Eric
Carle books are great). I simply browse the shelves of the
picture book section, and look for titles that have colorful
pictures, and medium length text that we can easily read
aloud. Recently we read 
Over in the Garden by Jennifer
Ward, which was perfect and even a bit interactive, which
kept everyone's attention.
Pick a nice day and start out by reading a few pages from
the informational book and one of the picture books.
Next take the kids outside in search of bugs! Have
them peek under the plants for spiders, roly polies,
ants and other insects. If you have field books on
insects (the small 
Golden Guides are great)
have them sketch and identify the bugs. Then it's
time for a snack:
Mix together:
Crushed graham crackers or crushed Oreos (dirt/sand)
chocolate sprinkles (ants)
raisins (beetles)
red hots (ladybugs)
Place some of each ingredients in a plastic snack bag.
Serve with some type of green juice drink (grass juice!)
and send them out in the backyard for a break!
After the break read more informational pages out of the
nature books or field guides. Talk about insects...let
them ask questions...then read another picture book.
Crafts are a great thing to break up the day and it allows
the kids to be creative. Try this easy bug craft:
Make Your Own Bugs
You'll need:
egg cartons
scissors
glue
scrap fabric, wiggle eyes, chenille stems or any
left over craft supplies--the tinier the better!
Ahead of time cut the egg carton sections apart.
Cut some single...some double, and some using
three egg sections or more. The idea is that they
can use the egg section as the "body" of the insect
and use the scraps to put on the details.
When they are finished have each child write a story
about their "bug". If they are too young to write, then
have them draw pictures of what they think their
"bug" would do out in the yard.
When the day is done staple all the sketches and
the stories or drawings into a book. Date it, give
it a title and a cover page. Have one of the children
make a list of all the books that were read and include
that in their book as well. You can do this with other
nature themes such as birds, butterflies, dinosaurs,
gardening or various wildlife.
About the Author:
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer, editor and owner
of Old Fashioned Living.com. She is also a wife and
mom to three children who love to read.
