Mini Activity Bins for World Bee Day.
May 20 is World Bee Day and these mini activity bins are perfect themed activities to put together for your little learner!
I created these for my 3-year-old, based on the skills he is currently working on (cutting & pasting practice, color matching, and counting); however, can modify the activities to fit the skills your child is working on.
Reasons to love these mini activity bins:
– They are easy to put together. (Most of them took less than 10 minutes.)
– The containers are the perfect size for little hands to grab, they are easy to open and easy to store! Find the containers here – sold as a 12-pack!
– They keep your child entertained!
– Your child is developing important skills while also having fun!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support! Read our affiliate disclaimer here.
Bee Cutting Strips
Materials:
Paper
Marker
Child Scissors
Adult Preparation:
1. Cut the paper into strips (about 1 inch wide).
2. Draw dotted lines across each strip. (This will mark where the child should cut).
3. Include fun pictures (e.g., bees or flowers) and use varying patterns – I made straight lines, zigzags and wavy lines.
4. Place cutting strips along with child scissors into the divided container for your child.
Activity Details:
Cutting strips are very easy to DIY! Adding in simple, fun drawings aren’t a requirement, but add an element of fun. Scissor skills are an important skill for your preschooler and practicing with scissors is one of my kids favorite activities!
Bee Hive Counting with 1:1 Correspondence
Materials:
Beehive Printable (available for download here)
Mini Bee Erasers
Adult Preparation:
1. Print the printable. (I recommend printing on cardstock).
2. Cut out the counting cards and number cards.
3. Place counting cards, numbers, and bee erasers into the divided container for your child. (If you don’t have the bee erasers, the printable also includes bees you can cut out and use instead!)
I recommend including the EXACT number of bees that your child will need to complete all cards. For example, if you include numbers 1-5, you will include 15 bees. If you include numbers 1-10, you will included 55 bees.
Activity Details:
1 to 1 correspondence is a foundational math skill and important for young kids to use when learning to count. 1:1 correspondence is when a child counts one object as they say one number. In this bee activity, a child will place one bee counter on one bee image and say the number as they place it. With these activity cards, I have also included the number symbol on each card. Children do not need to have knowledge of what each number symbol represents to use these cards, but the cards can be used to start learning the association between the quantity and the corresponding number symbol! With this activity, the child can also practice matching the number symbol on the yellow hexagon with the number symbol on each beehive.
Flower Color Matching
Materials:
Egg Carton
Dot Stickers
Color paper (I like how bold this paper is)
Paper Straws
Glue (school glue or hot glue)
Flower Paper Cutter (optional)
Adult Preparation:
1. Cut the egg carton so it contains four compartments. (This fits perfectly into the divided container.) Cut a small hole in the bottom of each compartment (the paper straw should fit into the hole).
2. Cut the paper straws into thirds.
3. Create flowers using the color paper. An easy way to create flower is by using a flower-shaped paper puncher. But you could also cut out your own simple flower designs.
4. Glue each flower onto a paper straw.
5. Add four color dot stickers onto a strip of paper. (The dot sticker colors should match the colors of the flowers).
6. I created strips of paper with 4 different color dots for a simple color matching activity.
7. To setup for your child, place the egg carton (upside down; as pictured) in the front of the divided container. Place the flowers and color matching strips into the back of the divided container.
Activity Details:
With this activity, the child will choose a strip of paper with the colorful dot stickers and lay it in front of the egg carton. The child will select the flowers with the matching colors and place each flower into the hole in the egg carton, so that the colors of the flowers match the dot sticker colors. With this activity, the child is practicing color matching and fine motor skills, as they place each flower straw into the egg carton.
Mini Bees Paper Craft
Materials:
Circle Paper Puncher
Yellow, Black, and White Paper
Glue Stick
Scissors (Loop scissors are a favorite for beginners)
Wiggle Eyes
Adult Preparation:
1. Cut pieces of yellow and white paper (slightly larger than the circle hold puncher).
2. Cut a strip of black paper- about 1 inch wide. (The child will use this to cut the bee’s stripes.)
3. Place the prepared yellow paper, white paper, black paper, scissors, glue stick and wiggle eyes into the divided container. (The paper puncher is too large for these containers, so I provide it alongside the container.)
Activity Details:
The child will start by using the paper puncher to cut a circle out of yellow paper. The child will also use the paper puncher to cut a circle out of white paper. Cut the white circle in half to create two wings. The child will use the black paper to cut small strips (these will form the stripes). Using the glue stick, the child can assemble the parts onto the bee’s body (the yellow circle). Glue on a wiggle eye (or provide a small pen to make the eye detail). For this craft activity, it may be helpful to provide an example bee or work alongside your child to create a bee.
Reminder: with child art, the importance is the process and not the end project! Your child is using important skills including, practice with scissors and glue, developing finger strength from using the paper puncher, being creative as they decide how to assemble their bee and having fun!
