Help children learn about bees and why they are one of the most important insects on Earth with the ideas below.
Spring is the perfect time to get outside and learn about bees with children. It is fun to watch or observe bees buzzing around, completing their pollinating duties with your kids. My daughter loved bees so much as a young toddler I would always find her sitting in the middle of a bunch of lavender chatting away with them. True story.
One day, she caught one and quickly learned what her mother warned her about. I’m surprised it took a few months before she got stung. She has been stung twice since then, so she has a healthy respect for bees today. But she still loves them!
Fortunately, we are lucky to have many bees in our yard and garden this year. Our amazing organic permaculture yard and garden are full of companion plants, and ground cover that the bees love. I took each of the photos in this post right in our own backyard.
For this activity, ask your kid(s) to pay attention to the types of plants bees like. After they have spent some time in an area observing bees, you can inform them about the importance of their work. They are taking and placing pollen so flowers will bloom and food will grow.
Bees are among our most important pollinator friends. We need them to pollinate flowers, or our crops will fail to thrive and grow.
Here are a few more resources with more information about Bees and how to educate children about them:
- Teaching the Importance of Bees to Kids by Extremely Good Parenting
- 5 Coolest Facts About Honey Bees by Green Grubs Garden Club
After you observe bees outside, try a craft or activity to learn more about them.
Links to Fun Bee Crafts & Activities:
- Bubble Wrap Behive and Fingerprint Bee Craft by Crafty Morning
- Cute Pom Pom Craft: My Pet Bee by Molly Moo Crafts
- Toilet Paper Roll Bee by Easy Child Crafts
- Egg Carton Bumble Bees by Nemscok Farms
- Footprint Bee by Crafty Crafted
- Pollen Transfer: Fine Motor Skill by From ABC’s to ACT’s
Best Bee Books About Bees for Kids:
Look for these books at your local library or use the Amazon affiliate links below. If you click to purchase, Rhythms of Play will earn a small commission at no extra cost.
- Children’s Book About Bees: A Kids Picture Book About Bees with Photos and Fun Facts
- Bees: A Kids Book About Bees – Learn Fun Facts & See Pictures About The Life of a Bee
- Honey Bees: A Kids Book About Bees, Amazing & Fun Facts Picture and Learning Guide To Honey Bees. (Full Graphically Illustrated Pages)
Such amazing photos! My oldest is terrified of bees… we went apple picking last Fall, and she got stung by one (she claims, I’m pretty sure it just landed on her hand and scared her). She talks about it every time she eats an apple, still, more than 6 months later. Thanks for sharing at #WeLoveWeekends!
What great ideas! Kids tend to be afraid of bees – learning about them in a hands-on way like this can definitely warm them up!
What a great resource!I can’t wait to check out all the book and craft suggestions! Pinned!
You’re welcome. I did my best to make it useful 🙂
My kids love bees…from afar. haha One day I hope to get our own colony so they can learn first hand how awesome bees really are!
After getting stung three times before age 2 1/2 half my daughter went from loving them to being scared of them. Now she neither sits in the lavender or clover with them or runs screaming. We have managed to instill a healthy respect for our pollenating friends 🙂 We want to build our own bee boxes soon… I will post all about it when we do 🙂
Little Man loves bees too. We have tried to save a couple recently with sugar water and honey but unfortunately neither made it 🙁 They are lovely creatures that fascinate little ones though. Thanks so much for sharing at the Outdoor Play Party:-)
They are wonderful little creatures aren’t they!? Thanks for hosting!
Thank you SO very much for linking to me pom pom bee craft tutorial. I really appreciate
Michelle xx
You’re welcome Michelle! I had to include it because it’s soooo cute 🙂
Thank you SO very much for linking to my pom pom bee craft tutorial. I really appreciate
Michelle xx