With two toddlers we’re always busy! I mean… THEY’RE busy and I have to try to keep up 😉 The best days are the ones filled with activities we can do together, where I can watch my little ones learn about the world. I’m always looking for new things to do with them!
Educational Fun: learning about insects and making ladybug rocks!
We have landscaping full of rocks so we’re always using them for our crafting! Like our “You Rock!” painted paperweights for Father’s Day 😉 Animal Jam is a go-to website for me when I’m looking for new ideas and this Ladybug Rock craft was perfect for a summer day with the kids!
First, we went outside and tried to find ladybugs or other insects. We talked about their names, what they looked like, how many legs they had, if they had wings, and where they lived. Then each child picked out their perfect rock for painting!
I showed them the printout from Animal Jam and we talked about what a ladybug looks like, but then I just let them go at it. Ryan is 4 and Rebecca is 2 so they each picked out a couple of colors and had fun! I painted one, too, of course! My rock looked like a heart so Ryan called it a lovebug instead of a ladybug 🙂
Animal Jam is an “online playground” for kids and we first discovered it because Ryan liked to play their games! He created his own character (Pioneer Zanypirate the Monkey, haha) and had fun exploring the virtual playground. Animal Jam partnered with National Geographic to infuse fun with the life sciences. You can collect facts in your Journey Book, learn about animal conservation, and ask real scientists your burning questions!
Then I discovered an entire educational resource at the Animal Jam Academy… for free! It is FULL of free downloads and printables from crafts and activities to mazes, connect-the-dots, and coloring pages.
I discovered our Ladybug Rocks activity there and this coloring page that I printed for Rebecca in case she wasn’t into the painting (but of course she was)! There is SO MUCH to find and do on there, I will be bringing you fun activity ideas each month from Animal Jam!
Can’t wait for my ideas?! Check out Animal Jam for their online game playground, the Animal Jam Academy for more fun, and the Animal Jam Pinterest page for lots of ideas! And watch here for another fun and educational idea next month!
Written in partnership with Animal Jam! Any opinions are my own.
What insects would your kids want to paint on their Bug Rocks?!
This is such a great craft! I love the little ladybugs, and I am sure my daughter would love to do this craft too.
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What a fun craft! I know my nieces and nephews love stuff like this, so totally gonna have to make these with them!
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What a fun craft this is. It is so easy and perfect for little ones!
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Awe, how sweet. MY kids love lady bugs and would have a blast making these. Thanks for the idea…
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Now I know what to do with the hundreds of rocks my boys love to bring home! We can do ladybugs or even magnets with them. Thanks for the brilliant idea! And definitely checking Animal Jam 🙂
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What a fun project. My boys would love to try this.
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I really love this project. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with your kids and teach them a little about the natural world.
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This looks like a really fun project to do with the little ones. Animal Jam seems like a great way to teach kids about wildlife as well.
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This is so neat! I know my daughter would love to paint a puppy… she loves her dog!
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How fun.. I bet my kids would enjoy this, too.. such a fun activity, thanks for sharing
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We have so many bumblebees and butterflies in the back yard right now. They would make for great rock pets.
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What a fun summer art project! My son would love creating one of those ladybugs!
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that is such a fun craft for kids! I think my kids would have a lot of fun painting bugs on rocks.
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Seriously how fun is that. Ladybug rocks… even the 2 year old could do this so we can make a family of them.
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My daughter would probably have made bumblebee rocks! She always loved bumblebees. I think I would stick to ladybug rocks myself. I always do a craft or two when the kids are doing them!
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That definitely gives a new meaning to the phrase pet rock! LOL Who would have thought something as seemingly simple as a rock could lend such entertainment 🙂
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What an easy frugal craft for them to make over the summer. I bet they will be great to keep in your garden as well.
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This is such a cute craft. I still have all three of these that my kids did when each of them were in Kindergarten.
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How fun! I’m going to keep this idea in mind for my kids. They’d love this!
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Those are super cute. I think my daughter would paint a flower instead of an insect LOL
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Awe, my oldest made us a ladybug rock about 4 years ago, we still have it! 🙂 Also, she always plays Animal Jam, she loves the game!
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I think my kids would want to paint bees and lady bugs too! Very cute project from smooth rocks.
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So cute, my kids have painted on rocks before but mostly they made silly creatures.
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Those are adorable and SO fun to make!!!
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Your ladybugs turned out so cute! My aunt makes ladybug rocks with her daycare kids!
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What a cute craft! My kids would love to make these.
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That’s a very clever project. It really brings out a child’s creativity.
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These activities are cute. My girls would love to make the ladybug rocks.
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