Guest Author - Grace Hodgin

Children seem to enjoy learning about insects and they seem to love making them even more. Here are three types of bugs that are fun, colorful and easy to make. Add a magnet strip on the back and they can decorate the refrigerator all summer long.


Supplies

Scissors
Glue (or hot glue gun)
Artificial pearls and beads
Wire free chenille
Pre colored wooden craft spoons or wood craft sticks.
Pom poms
Sequins
Glitter pens
Black sharpie marker
Thin flexible wire cut to 2 inches for each antenna
Magnet strips

Dragonfly Directions
Choose two wooden sticks or spoons the same color and cross one over the other. Just cross them slightly so they resemble dragon fly wings. Glue in the middle of one stick and lay the other stick over it. Take a stick of a different color for body. Place glue on top of wing section and glue to under side of body. Dispense a strip of glue on body of dragonfly and cover center with the wireless chenille leaving about ¼ of an inch or a little longer open. Take two pearls and glue them in front of the chenille for eyes. A small portion of the colored stick will show. Take the sharpie marker and fill in two large circles for the eyes. Glue a section of magnet to the bottom of the dragon fly.

Bumble Bee Directions

Choose a yellow stick and cut in half. Glue a pom-pom on top of the cut side of the stick or spoon. Take the sharpie and draw black lines on the body for the bumble bee pattern.
Take another yellow stick or spoon and cut in half. Each half will be used for the wings of the bee. Glue one wing at an angle on half of the body and glue the other wing in the same fashion. It might be necessary to have to overlap the one wing on top of the other.
Take glitter glue and outline wings. The over laying wing will be some what disguised now so it does not look like it is overlapping. Select two tiny white beads and glue to pom-pom for eyes. Draw two black dots on beads on eyes. Take a piece of two inch wire folded and ends curled and glue to head above eyes for the bee's antennas. Glue magnet on bottom of bee.

Butterfly Directions

Choose three sticks or spoons. Lay and glue on stick on top of the other to resemble a cross. Cut the other stick in two and position in a slanting direction under the first set of wings that formed the cross. Glue two pearls to the end of the stick The pearls will rest at the end of the stick. Glue a chenille strand over body as instructed for the dragonfly. The chenille will slightly cover the pearls appearing to be tucked under the chenille. Take folded two inch wire for antenna and glue to top of head slightly behind the eyes.
Take sequins and glue on wings of butterfly.