24+ Preschool Insect Activities and Worksheets

Kids are fascinated with bugs, insects, and spiders! These preschool insect activities are packed with puzzles, life cycle hats, clip cards, tracing, cutting, I Spy counting games, and more – perfect for keeping little ones excited and engaged in learning. I’ve also included a FREE insect sorting activity printable at the bottom of this post! Add these insect and bugs activities for preschoolers to your lesson plans and create the most interesting insect-themed unit!

Table of Contents

Preschool Insect Theme

I wouldn’t say I’m scared of insects, but I’m definitely not their biggest fan. However, my kids absolutely LOVE everything about insects, and it seems like other kids do too! A preschool insect theme including bugs and insects preschool activities are a fantastic way to tap into this interest and make learning fun. These activities are also great for a spring theme as kids start noticing butterflies, ladybugs, ants, and bees outdoors.

Did you know that all bugs are insects but not all insects are bugs? Spiders are also neither bugs nor insects because they have 8 legs, 2 body parts, no antennae, and no wings!

With an insect theme, you can cover a range of skills like math, literacy, fine motor, arts and crafts, and more! Kids have a blast when games and other cool activities like Spring Bug Crafts and Ladybug Craft Fingerprint Painting are included in their learning. The benefits of an insect theme are endless! It keeps the kids engaged, encourages curiosity, and makes learning a buzzing good time! Playing with bugs can also help remove fear, encourage empathy and other more emotional aspects.

Preschool Insects and Bugs Pack

These insect activities for preschoolers are all you need for a stimulating theme. Pick activities targeting different skills to keep the kids engaged, or let them choose to encourage independent thinking! I like to mind map my lesson plans to make it easier, check out these 8 easy steps to mind map your lesson plans.

Watch the Activities in Action

Here’s a video to get an idea of the different insect activities for preschool included:

You can find the links to all the supplies used in the activities here.

Insects and Bugs Literacy Activities

1. Vocabulary Words– Discuss the vocabulary words. Place in a pocket chart and then use it to match the pictures or words.

4. Sight Word Web– Place the cards in a sensory bin or on a table. Pick a card, say the sight word out loud then find and circle the matching word on the spider web.

2. Hopping Syllables– Read the word then hop for each syllable. Place a manipulative on the spot like a magnetic number.

5. Clip Cards– Clip the insect beginning sounds. For younger kids, clip the same insect.

3. Beginning Sound Leaf Smash– Place the sound cards in the sensory bin then place a ball of play dough on the matching letter and smash it with your finger.

6. Three Part Cards– Match the word and picture to the whole card for each insect.

Insects and Bugs Math Activities

7. Bees Tens and Ones Clip Cards– Count the tens and ones and clip the number. There are 2 recording sheets to choose from.

10. Bug Ten Frame Mats– Identify the number on the mat. Then, place the correct ten frame leaf with insects on the mat. Add the correct number of insects to the mat and trace the number. You can use the paper insect, insect mini erasers, or insect toys.

13. Counting Mats– Count the insects, then place the matching number on the mat.

16. Insect I Spy Game– These pages target counting skills and are differentiated for different age groups. You can find the insect, then checkmark once found. For a more challenging activity, count it and write the total number.

8. Ten Frame Addition Cards– Use Bingo chips, mini erasers, or draw circles in the addition cards to represent the equation. Then write the answer recording sheet.

11. Counting Ants On The Picnic Mat– Add ants to the mat to the number mat according to the number in the top right of the mat.

14. Number Tracing Cards– Count the butterflies, then trace the number. You can also tape a pipe cleaner to the card and thread pony beads through.

17. Beehive Shapes– Cut out the shape bees, then match them to the beehive. We paired this with other Bumble Bees Activities.

9. Ladybug Addition Cards– Place a small peg/clothespin on the number line that represents the first number in the equation. Then move up the number line using the number on the second part of the equation. Write your answer on the ladybug.

12. Butterfly Roll The Number– Roll a dice, count the number, then trace the number on the recording sheet.

15. Math Link Spider Shape Matching– Identify the shape and number on the spider card. Then, clip the correct number of math links to the matching web card.

18. Puzzles– Solve the puzzles according to numbers or matching pieces.

Bugs and Insects Fine Motor Activities Activities

19. Cutting Practice– Cut the cards and strips on the dashed lines. I like to introduce a little bit of symmetry using the lines and insect designs!

20. Play Dough Mats– Create the insects using play dough. This is an easy fine motor activity that even younger kids can try out.

21. Hole Punch Cards– Cut out the cards, then hole punch the insects and leaves.

Bugs and Insects STEM and Visual Perception Activities

22. Life Cycle Hats– Learn the life cycle of different insects by creating a hat! Color in the pictures, then cut and paste them according to the sequence.

23. Patterns- Finish the patterns according to AB, ABC , and AAB. There are blank cards so the kids can create their patterns. Pattern activities are beneficial for kids because they improve their executive functioning and working memory.

24. Pattern Block Mats– This preschool insect activity requires pattern blocks to create the colorful insects on the mat.

Worksheets

Bee-live it or not, we still have more in store! These 21 worksheets filled with insects activities for preschoolers are perfect for reviewing and reinforcing important skills. Best of all, they’re low prep worksheets! Just print them, set up a few materials, and you’re good to go.

1 Insect Tracing Worksheet insect and bugs activities for preschoolers

Count and Graph activities for preschoolers about insects

match the pictures insect worksheet for preschool

2 Insect Tracing preschool insect activity

Trace the Lines preschool activities about insects

6 math worksheet, addition and subtraction

match the pictures activities for preschoolers about insects

match the pictures to the words worksheet

GET THE INSECT ACTIVITY PACK HERE

Explore the fascinating world of bugs with this Insect Bugs Printable Activity Pack for Preschoolers. With over 40 pages of fun, this pack includes puzzles, clip cards, vocabulary cards, tracing and cutting practice, see and stamp activities, counting activities and more! Perfect for literacy or math centers, warm ups, morning work or whole class lessons. Both color and black and white formats are included, where possible, to suit your individual printing needs.

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Tips on When to Use Preschool Activities about Insects

As part of your morning work during spring.
As homeschool, literacy or math center activities during a unit on insects.
With small groups of students with a particular focus, e.g. recognizing and naming common 2D shapes.

Extra Ideas for Educators

Extend learning by including these activities for preschoolers about insects

Discuss the parts of an insect. You can show the kids using a diagram about the different body parts like the thorax, abdomen and head!
Create a scavenger hunt using plastic bugs that are hidden around the classroom.
Read an insect-themed book like The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Do a dramatic reading or puppet show!
Discuss the importance of respecting living creatures like insects and how they fit into our ecosystem.

Free Insect Sorting Activity

This free insect activity is a fun sensory activity that includes elements of science, literacy and counting! You can adapt it to suit these concepts.

Materials Required:

Cardstock
Insect Toob (optional)

To prepare the activity you just need to print it out on cardstock. Then place the items together and ask your child, “Does a ladybug have wings?” and show them the different parts of the chart. Sometimes children need an example.

I prefer working with the hands-on figurines. I find that it adds another form of exploration, plus we love to add these figurines to sensory bins. You could even hide these insects in a sensory bin and make your child ‘catch the bugs’ and then place them onto the sorting sheet. That would be ADORABLE.

Here are two insect-themed sensory bin ideas for inspiration: