The opportunity to explore the world around us is one of the best parts of childhood. I have rarely met a preschooler who doesn’t love exploring for bugs. My own kids will play with potato bugs for hours at a time and are thrilled to learn anything new about insects or butterflies. This simple preschool craft is a great opportunity to teach preschoolers the basic parts of an insect. While the scientific terms for each part of the insect may be a bit difficult for younger preschoolers, they can be introduced to the concept that an insect has three sections on it’s body.

Preschool Lesson Objective

Teach preschoolers that bugs can also be called insects.

Teach preschoolers that all insects have three body parts – the head, thorax, and the abdomen.

Help preschoolers understand that the eyes, antenna, and mouth is on the head of an insect.

Help preschoolers understand that the legs and wings are on the thorax of an insect.

Materials Needed

Empty egg carton
Paint
Paintbrushes
Pipe cleaners
Construction paper
Newspapers to protect work surface

Optional – Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kit

Advance Preparation

Cut the empty egg carton into 3 segment pieces before this activity. If you are doing this with multiple preschoolers, cut one 3-piece egg carton for each preschooler. Styrofoam egg cartons would be easier to work with if you have them on hand but may not hold paint as well as cardboard egg cartons.

Preschool Craft Instructions

Ask preschoolers if they know what the word insect is. Explain that insect is another word for bug. Have preschoolers practice saying the word insect.

Give each preschooler an empty egg carton that has been cut into a 3 segmented piece. Tell preschoolers that all insects have three parts to their body. Have preschoolers touch the first segment in their egg carton and say the word “head”. Ask preschoolers what things they have on their head that might also be on an insect head. Tell preschoolers that an insect has eyes, antenna, and a mouth on it’s head.

Have preschoolers touch the middle section of their cut egg carton. Have preschoolers say the word thorax. Have preschoolers practice saying the word thorax. Explain that an insects legs and wings are connected to its thorax.

Have preschoolers touch the last section on their cut egg carton and say the word abdomen Tell preschoolers that they have an abdomen to and ask them to find the middle part of their body.

Have preschoolers paint their egg carton insects and allow them to dry.

Add legs and antenna to each insect. Be sure and add the antenna to the insect’s head and the legs to the thorax. You can stop at this point if you want to focus on insects. If you are doing this lesson as part of a butterfly preschool theme or to go along with a butterfly kit you’ll want to continue.

Have preschoolers fold a piece of construction paper in half and cut wings out. Wings can be taped or glued to the back or your insect to create a butterfly. The process is more important than the end result. Encourage preschoolers to be creative rather than try and create a perfect replica of butterfly wings. My preschooler had fun creating an entire series of wings so they could be changed to create a completely new butterfly.