Bugs Sensory Storytime
“Some bugs sting. Some bugs bite. Some bugs stink. And some bugs fight!” Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel is the perfect picture book for exploring all things bugs with toddlers, preschoolers, and children of all abilities. Children of all ages love the sing-song rhymes and vibrant illustrations. Provide attendees with paper, flannel, or plastic bugs to hold and bounce along as you read. Pair Some Bugs with one or more of these bug-themed books, songs, craft, and play ideas for more engagement and fun in your next Sensory Storytime.
More Sensory Storytime Books About Bugs
Some Bugs pairs bug-tastically with these other Sensory Storytime books:
Bugs Sensory Storytime Movement Songs
Five Hungry Ants
Put five paper or felt ants on a board and take one away. Adding salad, cake, and pepper shaker images is helpful, too, but not necessary if you ain’t got the time to make them!
Five hungry ants marching in a line, (hold up five fingers)
Came upon a picnic where they could dine (make eating motions with hands to mouth)
They marched into the salad (march in place or move arms)
They marched into the cake
They marched into the pepper…
Uh oh! That was a mistake!
A..a..a..choo! (a big exaggerated sneeze! and take an ant down)
Four hungry ants…
Put Your Butterfly in the Air
Cut out cardstock or felt butterflies and distribute them before the song. If you’re a lucky duck and have an Ellison Die Cut, you can cut felt shapes in a snap! Scarves work great as “butterflies,” too.
Put your butterfly in the air
Hold it high and leave it there.
Put your butterfly on your back
Now please lay it in your lap.
Wave your butterfly at the door
Now tap it on the floor.
Hold your butterfly up high
And shake it in the sky.
Now once more put it in your lap
And now we’ll clap, clap, clap!
Flutter Flutter Butterfly with Scarves
Use scarves or butterfly props and let children flutter them as you sing to the tune of “Twinkle Twinkle.”
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the morning sky
Floating by for all to see
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the morning sky.
If Your Butterfly is Red Today
This is an excellent song for collecting butterfly props. Just be sure to make your butterflies in at least three different colors. Not all kids will wait for their color to be called, but that’s ok!
If your butterfly is red today
Red today, red today
If your butterfly is red today
Please put it in the bucket
Blue…Green…
If You’re a Bee & You Know it Puppet Song
You can sing this song without puppets, but it is SO much more fun with them! Hide bug puppets/stuffies/plastic figures in a bag/bucket and pull each out along with the lyrics. Kids always snap to attention when puppets are involved and will get so excited to see which bug is drawn from your bag next.
If you’re a bee and you know it go buzz buzz
If you’re a bee and you know it go buzz buzz
If you’re a bee and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re a bee and you know it go buzz buzz
If you’re a butterfly and you know it flap your wings
If you’re a spider and you know it wiggle your legs…
If you’re a frog and you know it hop around…
Bugs Sensory Play & Craft Activities
Ending Sensory Storytime with free play provides children and their caregivers with an excellent opportunity to explore and socialize. Here are great bug-themed play activities.
Bug Puppets
If you used puppets during storytime, set them out for kids to enjoy. As for puppets, Folkmanis Puppets are my favorite for their quality and durability, but they can be expensive. Amazon often has better deals vs. purchasing directly from Folkmanis.
Bugs Sensory Bin
Pop fake bugs into a bin filled with your choice of sand, dirt, beans, green shredded paper, or whatever you’ve got! Add a sand trowel, rake, magnifying glasses, pinchers, or bug nets for even more fun and exploration.
Bug Counting & Sorting
These colorful bugs can be used over and over again in countless ways! Simply set them out for kiddos to play with, set them in a sensory bin, or along with other colorful items to count or sort. I’ve had this $14 set from Amazon for 5 years, and they’re still going strong. The same set in different packaging is available from Walmart.
Coffee Filter Butterfly Craft
Assemble the butterflies ahead of time or simply set out the coffee filters and pipe cleaners for caregivers to assemble after the kiddos color them. Let children color the coffee filters with washable markers. For added fun, provide small spray bottles of water for kids to spritz the wings and watch the colors blend together. Provide plastic baggies for taking moist butterflies home.
Visit The Youth Desk’s Sensory Storytime page for more information about Sensory Storytimes, including a complete outline, additional books, songs, crafts, and play ideas.
