Beautiful Bug Mansions

Time

4 3 2 1 Early-Mid Stages

Benefits

What you need

Twigs in various sizes
Small stones and broken tiles
Straw and hay
Pine cones
Loose bark
Dry leaves
Corrugated cardboard
A small wooden box (around 25cm x 25cm)
A collection of flowers and stems (like ivy, daisies, lavender, honeysuckle and marigolds)
An old chair to put the house on

Intro

We love an activity that keeps on giving… and this is just the kind we mean. It’s all about connecting with wildlife and appreciating the little things in life (quite literally) – and it’s great with visiting grandchildren.

The crux of the idea is for your group or individual to create a bug house in the garden for creatures to crawl into, and perhaps nest. Checking up on it every day is a wonderful sensory activity in itself, and because it’s great for the environment, it’ll impress budding naturalists too.

The Activity

Start layering broken tiles into your wooden box, but with straw and hay sandwiched between the tiles
Keep layering them up, but include stones, cardboard, bark and all other items too
Make sure everything fits snugly, filling any gaps with leaves and loose bark
Add in the flowers and stems, allowing the flowers to stick out a little in places
Head into the garden and place your mansion on a chair in a shaded area
Keep a daily (or weekly) check on the house to see who’s moved in