Main Activity: Microhabitats for Minibeasts
This weeks activity involved making mini bug hotels and microhabitats for various minibeasts that we discovered after going on a bug hunt around the nursery. We came across the following minibeasts:-
Ladybirds
Earwigs
Centipedes
Woodlice
Ants
Slugs
Snails
Spiders
Worms
Crane Flies (also known as 'daddy longlegs'. My favourite misconception about crane flies is that they are the most venomous of insects! This is a myth as they are actually completely harmless)
To make our mini bug hotels we cut some wood to size using a hand saw, used sandpaper to smooth the edges, used a hand drill to make some holes and finally either tied it all together using garden string or used a hammer and some small nails. We then put various items inside it that we thought may attract some minibeasts such as pinecones, conkers, leaves and twigs.
To make our microhabitat we started by getting a large magnifying jar and filled it with freshly dug soil. We then collected and put in some colourful leaves and twigs and put the jar on the ground with the hope of attracting some of our little minibeast friends. The children decided to enhance the area by adding some wooden towers and walkways made from wooden blocks. Once we had some minibeasts to look at, we put the lid on which doubled as a magnifying glass so we could get a really good close up view.
Extension Activities:
Collecting raindrops in glass jars and feeling raindrops on our tongues
Learning how to thread by making a fabric sail for a small boat and them floating them in a washing up bowl
Using some of our previously collected conkers to make colourful bead and conker necklaces
Home Activity: Ladybird Potato Stamps
This activity is great for young children who will almost certainly enjoy making cheerful ladybirds as we are seeing lots of them around the nursery at the moment.
Cut a potato in half and poke a stick into the rounded side – this twig handle will be easier to hold when the potato stamp gets slippery.
Help your child dip the potato in red paint and stamp it onto the paper. Let it dry.
Paint a black line down the middle of the red splodge and add a black head at one end.
To add spots, dip your child’s finger in the black paint and dab some dots on the body.
Finally, add two eyes to the head.
Please upload your wonderful ladybird potato stamps and pictures onto Tapestry.