Ladybugs
Arts and Crafts
Ladybug Dots
Provide each child with a red circle. Have them draw as many black dots as they would like on one side. Have the child count the dots on the paper and write the number on the other side.
Ladybug Dots 2
Provide each child with a paper plate. Have the child paint the paper plate red. After the paint has dried, have the child create dots on the plate using their finger dipped in either black paint or a black ink pad.
Ladybug Blot
Provide each child with a red circle. Fold the circle in half. Have the child create dots on one half of the circle by dipping their finger in black paint and pressing it onto paper. Fold the circle again, pressing the wet side of the ladybug onto the other half of the circle.
Ladybug Fingerprints
Supply each child with a piece of white paper and a red non-toxic stamp pads. Show the child how to make fingerprints on the paper, using only one finger at a time. When finished add wing outlines, dots, heat and antennae with a black pen, or for older children, have them add the features.
Ladybug Headband
Have the children cut out two strips of red paper that when connected will fit around their head. Have the children create dots by gluing on circles, using fingerprints or a circle stamp. When dry, connect the strips with glue or tape, (staples will catch the child’s hair). Supply the children with two pipe cleaners… and have them shape them however they want to and tape them on the inside of the headband.
Paper Plate Ideas
Provide each child with a paper plate. Have the child use red paint, markers, crayons, or colored pencils to color the plate red. After the plate has dried (if applicable), the children can apply dots:
- by making fingerprints with ink or paint
- gluing on black circles made from construction paper or felt
- painting dots with a paintbrush
- stamping on dots with a circle stamp
- tearing black construction paper in circle shapes and gluing them on.
Alternatively, the body can be made with red construction paper cut into a circle shape.
Ladybug Shakers
Have the children create two paper plate ladybugs, see ideas above. When dry (if applicable), place rice, beans or other item on one of the paper plates and cover with the second plate so the decorated sides are outside. Staple the two plates together. The children can use these shakers for music and movement.
Ladybug Circles
Supply each child with a 4 inch black circle, a 4 inch red circle and a 2 inch black circle. Have the child cut the 4 inch red circle in half. Then, glue the two black circles together, one is the body and one is the head of the ladybug. Then glue the red wings onto the body. Finally, allow the child to add fingerprint spots on both sides, using either black paint or a black non-toxic ink pad. Count the spots on each side. Are they equal? How many spots are there total?
Ladybug Rocks
Supply each child with a round rock. Have the child paint the rock red. After the paint dries, have the children add spots with a tiny paint brush and black paint. Allow to dry. Add googly eyes, and add details with black paint.
Games, Math, and Science
Ladybug Sort
Cut out many different-sized circles from red construction paper. Add black circles with stickers, markers, pens or paint. Allow to dry. Ask the children to sort the ladybugs by size.
Ladybug Sort 2
Cut out many circles from red construction paper (all the same size). Add 4 black circles to 1/2 of the shapes, and 6 black circles to the other half. Have the children sort the shapes according to the number of dots on the shape.
Ladybug Seriation
Cut out many different-sized circles from red construction paper. Add black circles with stickers, markers, pens or paint. Allow to dry. Ask the children to place the ladybugs in order from smallest to largest.
Ladybug Seriation 2
Cut out many circles from red construction paper (all the same size). Add 1 circle to the first, 2 to the next, and so on until you have done 10 circles. Have the children put the circles in order from least number or circles to the greatest.
Ladybug Dot Counting
Cut out many circles from red construction paper (all the same size). Add 1 circle to the first, 2 to the next, and so on until you have done 10 circles. Have the children count the number of dots on each ladybug.
Ladybug Dot Match
Cut out many circles from red construction paper (all the same size). Cut each circle in half. Add 1 circle to 2 wing halves, 2 circles on 2 wing halves, repeat with 3, 4 and 5 dots. Have the children match the wing halves based on the number of dots on the wings.
Ladybug Sticker Sort
Obtain at least four identical sheets of lady bug stickers (like the ones to the left). Attach each sticker to one heavy card stock square. Have the children sort the stickers.
Ladybug Sticker Match
Obtain at least two identical sheets of lady bug stickers (like the ones to the left). Attach each sticker to one heavy card stock square. Have the children pick one sticker, then find it’s match.
Ladybug Sticker Patterns
Obtain at least four identical sheets of lady bug stickers (like the ones to the left). Attach each sticker to one heavy card stock square.
Create a pattern and have the children match the pattern below yours.
Create a pattern and have the children continue it.
Have the children create a pattern and have them tell you about it.
Ladybug Memory Game
Obtain two identical sheets of ladybug stickers (like the ones to the left). Attach each sticker to one heavy card stock square. Use the square to play memory.
Ladybug Life Cycle
Talk about the ladybug life stages with your children. What other animals have similar stages?
Ladybug Life Cycle Toy Activities
- Have the children sort the toys by stage.
- Have the children count them.
- Place the number 1 to 6 in the bottom of a muffin tin. Have the children add one bug to the 1 tin, 2 to the 2 tin and so on.
- Allow the children to dip the toys (stages 2 and 4) in paint and press onto paper to make buggy footprints.
- Add the toys to the sand table or block area to enhance dramatic play.
- Set a toy from the class on one side of a balance and have the children estimate how many bugs will make the balance level. Try it.
- Place many of the toys in a clear jar. Have the children estimate how many toys are in the jar. Record their estimations. Count how many toys are in the jar.
- Make a pattern with the toys, have the children continue the pattern.
Ladybug Facts
- Ladybugs are helpful to farmers because they eat smaller bugs like aphids who ruin crops.
- Ladybugs can secrete a fluid from joints in their legs which gives them a foul taste.
- Ladybugs bright red color tells animals that they don’t taste good.
- All ladybugs are born black.
- Ladybugs are a type of beetle.
- Not all ladybugs are ladies.
- Ladybugs hibernate for the winter.
- Ladybugs are commonly known to be red with black spots, but they can also be found as orange with black spots or black with red spots.
Ladybug Observation
Obtain live ladybugs for the children to observe.
Provide the children with magnifying glasses to enhance their viewing abilities. Have the children record their observations in a journal. (IE they are red, have 6 legs)
Ladybug Hop
Cut out many ladybug shapes from red construction paper. Use contact paper to attach the shapes to the floor in a path so the children can hop from one shape to the next.
Ladybug Musical Chairs
Cut out many ladybug shapes from red construction paper. Use contact paper to attach the shapes to the floor in a circle. It is better to have more shapes than children. Play music and when the music stops the children find a ladybug to stand on.
Ladybug Seat Markers
Cut out many ladybug shapes from red construction paper. Laminate the shapes and use them for seat markers.
Songs
Little Ladybug
Sung to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
I have a little ladybug,
ladybug, ladybug
I have a little ladybug,
It’s wings are black and red.
Ladybugs Fly
Sung to “Three Blind Mice”
Ladybugs, ladybugs (place index finger and thumb together to represent the ladybug)
See how they fly, see how they fly (move “ladybug” around like it is flying)
They fly so high and they fly so low (move up then down)
They fly so fast and they fly so slow (move fast then slow)
Around and around and around they go, (move in circles)
Ladybug
Five Little Ladybugs
Sung to “Five Little Butterflies”
Five little ladybugs resting at the door.
One flew away and then there were four.
Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.
Four little ladybugs sitting in a tree.
One flew away and then there were three.
Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.
Three little ladybugs looking at you.
One flew away and then there were two.
Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.
Two little ladybugs sitting in the sun.
One flew away and then there was one.
Ladybug, ladybug happy all day.
Ladybug, ladybug fly fly away.
One little ladybug left all alone.
One flew away and then there was none.