God's love does many good works in our lives, much like ladybugs
do good works for the garden. Help kids create ladybugs and aphids
with this fun children's craft.
You'll need a one-liter or 24-ounce clear plastic soft drink
bottle for each child; assorted marbles (six per child); large,
red, permanent markers; fine-tipped, black, permanent markers;
glue; assorted pompoms; google eyes; an ice pick (for adult use
only); and copper wire. Before class, cut the bottoms off the
bottles at the base of the label, approximately 21/2 inches from
the bottom of the bottle.
Have kids color the inside of the bottle bottom with a red
permanent marker and then add large black spots to the outside
using a fine-tipped black marker to represent a ladybug's markings.
Kids can create the ladybug's face by gluing on google eyes and a
pompom nose, and drawing a mouth.
Have an adult poke six holes 2 inches apart around the outside
edge of the bottle bottom to attach the legs. Then poke two holes 1
inch apart above the ladybug's face to attach antennae. Cut seven
8-inch lengths of copper wire per child for legs and antennae.
Help kids wrap one end of each wire around a marble until the
marble is secure. Insert the other end of the wire into a hole on
the bottle bottom and twist it around the remaining length of wire
to secure it. Repeat this process for each leg. Help kids insert
the seventh piece of wire into one hole above the face and weave it
out the other hole. Bend or curl the wire to create antennae.
To make an aphid, use the same procedure as for the ladybug, but
use a green plastic soda bottle -- then no coloring is needed.
RoseAnne Sather
Greeley, Colorado
Age-Level Insights: 6 to 9...
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prices are subject to change.
