Spring Bug Jars

Hello?  Spring?  You've got to be here soon, right?  Whether it snows again tomorrow or not, spring is right around the corner, so it seems like the perfect time to start making some art that reflects that time of year......BUG JARS!!!  This is a great lesson to introduce the idea of "printmaking" for kindergarten kiddos, as we will be using our own fingerprints to make little bug bodies. 

All you need is a sheet of paper and some washable markers. First step is drawing the lid for the jar.  I always emphasize looking for simple shapes when drawing.  Make sure the kids draw their bug lid right at the top of the paper, so there's lots of room for bugs to "live".

Next, draw the details of the lid, making some holes for your bugs to breathe.  

Draw the rest of the jar, all the way to the bottom of the page, and nice and wide.  

Encourage kids to add some things for your bugs to eat or climb on.

Now comes the fun part!  To make the bug bodies, simply have kids color their finger tip and stamp it onto the paper.  Before doing this, I usually tell them a little bit about printmaking as an art form.  A "print" is a copy of something, and you can make as many of those prints as you want.  That is why your FINGERPRINT can be stamped over and over again - it is a copy of the original.

After the first color is printed a few times, kids might want to make some different kinds of bugs in different colors.  Each finger should be used for a different color, so the colors don't mix and your markers don't get ruined.  Encourage kids to think about all the different bugs they know of, as they are printing their bug bodies.

Once your little artists feel they have enough bugs in the jar, use a marker, crayon, or pen to add details to their bugs.  Do the wings have veins?  Does your bug have stripes? Spots?  Remind kids that insects have antennae and six legs!