Free Weird Insect Printables and Montessori-Inspired Weird Insect Activities

Insects are a fun summer theme. We’ve previously had units and subscriber freebies with butterflies, ants, bees, ladybugs, and noisy insects. This summer, we’re studying weird insects with many unusual and amazing insects. Along with links to free weird insect printables used to prepare hands-on activities, I have a new Montessori-inspired weird insect pack for our newsletter subscribers’ resource library!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Montessori Shelves with Weird Insect Themed Activities

Montessori Shelves with Noisy Insect Themed Activities

You’ll find Montessori-inspired weird insect numbers, letters, and and more (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber) Note: The Montessori-inspired weird insect pack isn’t designed as a complete weird insect unit but as supplemental materials. I design the packs using realistic images that I’ve often looked for when preparing a unit study (such as font cards and phonogram cards featuring the letter and phonogram related to the theme and math cards with realistic images that fit the theme and can be adapted for math activities at a variety of levels.)

You could mix your weird insect themed activities among your shelves according to curriculum area. Or you could have a special weird insect themed area something like the one pictured. My shelves at the beginning of our unit have a mixture of skill levels. Many of the activities can be adapted for a variety of levels. Many of these are designed for early elementary as well as preschoolers. If you’re a homeschooler, just choose the activities that work for your child’s interests and ability levels. If you don’t have room for all the activities you’d like to do, simply rotate them.

Montessori Shelves with Weird Insect Themed Activities and Shitao Insect Art Print

Notice the framed art print Studies of insects, mantises (1707) by Shitao. It’s a free download from Wikiart.

For our monthly featured art print, I purchased a Li’l DAVINCI art frame that opens in the front for easily changing a free art masterpiece printable or vintage illustration to fit with the month’s theme. The frame can be switched from horizontal to vertical without changing the hanger, which is perfect!

If you’re wondering about the rugs and rug box I use, both the rugs and wooden rug holder are from Montessori Services. I love the Montessori Services rugs and rug holder! I used to use an umbrella stand something like these. I loved that for 1-3 rugs, but I needed something different when I had more grandchildren and some projects that needed more than one rug.

Favorite Shelves, Trays, Baskets, and More for Montessori Homeschoolers

I often get asked about the trays, baskets, etc., that I use, so I published a post with many of the items. You can find lots of helpful resources here. They’re not all essential, so don’t feel you need to have everything. Just choose what’s best for your budget and your unique family’s needs. You’ll find more ideas in the Living Montessori Now Amazon shop

Insect Books for Kids

Even though I have books on shelves, I’m now keeping many of my themed books in a forward-facing display after placing a plant where the themed book basket was before. My seasonal books are now in that book basket.

For toddlers and preschoolers, about ¾ of the books I use are typically Montessori friendly (focusing on reality without smiling or talking animals or smiling or talking vehicles).

For our weird insect unit, I’m focusing on non-fiction books and biographies of entemologists. Most of the books are about insects in general, but I’m emphasizing the weird insects whenever we find one in the books!

Books for a Weird Insect Unit

Top Shelf of Main Themed Shelf:

Hercules Beetle
Weird Insects
DK Smithsonian Animal Book (open book on easel)
What’s Inside? Insects (out of print, so it’s only available used) and Big Book of Bugs are on the shelf to the right of the main themed shelf

Top Shelf of Forward -Facing Display:

2nd Shelf:

3rd Shelf:

National Geographic Kids Bugs
Incredible Insects (This series (I have the whole set) is great for young readers and preschoolers who are learning about animal classifications!)
Amazing, Crazy and Weird Bugs and Insects
National Geographic Kids Insects

4th Shelf:

Bugs A to Z
What’s Your Favorite Bug? by Eric Carle and Friends
Evelyn the Adventurous Entemologist: The True Story of a World-Traveling Bug Hunter

Bottom Shelf

I don’t know how it didn’t get on the shelf, but I think the National Geographic Kids Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever is great, too!

You can also see lots of weird insect books as they’re published here.

Hercules Beetle Book with Hercules Beetle Figure and Craft

Hercules Beetle book

Free Printable: Hercules Beetle Craft from Learn Create Love

Free Printable: Color the Life Cycle of a Rhino Beetle from Education.com

The Hercules beetle is a fascinating insect that can lift 850 times its weight … the equivalent of a human lifting eight elephants! I have two free printables on the tray. The life cycle coloring activity is below the Hercules beetle craft. For the craft, children could cut out the individual parts if they have advanced cutting skills. Otherwise, they can use a pin punch to punch out each part. For coloring the craft, I’ve added Stabilo pencils to the tray, which can be used as is or with water.

The Hercules beetle figure is from an insects set I had purchased for our noisy insect unit.

Weird Insects Book with Insect Fact Cards

Free Printable: Insect Nature Study Fact Cards from Homeschool Giveaways

I paired the fascinating Weird Insects book with the weird insects from the insect nature study fact cards. The fact cards are lovely and are a great addition to a weird insect unit (or any insect unit). There are many picture cards with matching fact cards, so you can choose the cards you want to use.

Insect Pages from The Animal Book with Insect Geography Materials and Stick Insect Pages and Crafts in the Background

The open book on the easel is the DK Smithsonian Animal Book … great for any animal theme!

You’ll see insect geography materials and stick insect pages and crafts in the background. You can find the links and resources lower in this post.

L for Leafhopper Salt Writing Tray for a Weird Insect Theme

Free Printables: Leafhopper letter “l” for salt writing tray (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

You’ll see a variety of simple letter writing trays in my previous unit study posts. I often used the wooden tray from the Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Shapes. You can use whatever tray or container work best for you, though.

The sandpaper letters I use are available in print or cursive.

I typically now use this lovely spelling/alphabet tray from FamilyTreeWW on Etsy. I like it for writing more than one letter or spelling words.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

“th” Phonogram with Atlas Moth Card and “th” Booklet

th Phonogram with Atlas Moth Card and th Booklet

Free Printables: th Atlas moth phonogram card in cursive (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Free Printable: Th Phonogram Picture and Letter Cards from MontessoriSoul

These activities are very simple to prepare. I just print out the materials and make them into little booklets. I have a post and video on how to introduce words starting with phonograms, even with very young children (although I don’t introduce phonograms to very young children except in a word like “shark” that can’t be explained as starting with /s/).

Giraffe Weevil Addition Activity

Free Printable: Giraffe weevil numbers and number spinner 1-5 (part of my subscriber freebie pack, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password … or check the bottom of your latest newsletter if you’re already a subscriber)

Giraffe weevils are such interesting-looking insects! I used some small, yellow beads I had as giraffe weevil eggs for the addition activity. Note: A giraffe weevil typically lays one egg, and it rolls it in a leaf! So you don’t actually see the yellow egg. I use this as a way to discuss the giraffe weevil eggs along with using it as a simple addition activity. Of course, you can use these cards for simple counting, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or greater than, and less than. You don’t have to use “eggs” for the counters, either.

Parts of an Insect Game

Free Printable: Parts of an Insect Game from Gift of Curiosity

This is such an easy-to-prepare activity, and it’s great for teaching the parts of an insect! There are four different colors of insects if you want to play competitively or have all the children roll the dice until their insects are complete rather than having the first one completing the insect win. I typicallly have a cooperative game where each child takes a turn to roll the dice to find a part. The children complete one insect together.

Playing Parts of an Insect Game

My 4-year old grandkids, Sophia and Caleb, had fun playing the Parts of an Insect Game. We used the Incredible Insects book to discuss the parts of an insect. (Note: This book series (I have the whole set) is great for young readers and preschoolers who are learning about animal classifications!)

Montessori Continents Globe with Weird Insects of Continents Cards and Who Am I? Weird Insect Cards

Printables: (Not free) Montessori-Inspired Insects and Springtails Printable Pack for Preschool Through Elementary from Every Star Is Different

I wouldn’t do this in a classroom, but in a home environment with limited space, I’ve put two different sets of cards in the card holder. First, we’re using our Montessori continents globe along with sorting weird insects of continents cards. (Note: for both activities, I chose the weirdest insects from the printable pack.)

The next two holders have Who Am I? Insect Descriptions/Clues and their Matching Photo and Label.

Stick Insect Pages and Stick Insect Craft

The open books are What’s Inside? Insects (out of print, so it’s only available used) and Big Book of Bugs.

Stick Insects Pages, Australian Walking Stick Cursive Cards, and Stick insect Craft

Free Printable: Make Your Own Stick Insect from Newcastle Blackbutt Reserve

Zoey used the directions in this printable to make a stick insect after a nature walk to find a twig for the body. (She also used the Australian walking stick alphabet in cursive from our Montessori-Inspired Weird Insect Pack.)

My 4-year-old grandkids, Sophia and Caleb, are both wanting to make stick insects, too. So we’ll be having more fun with this tray!

Free Printables: Stick Insect Puzzle Sheets from Kids Puzzles & Games (There are a few different printables for activities such as drawing stick insects.)

Free Weird Insect Printables

Free Leafhopper Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

Montessori-Inspired Weird Insect Pack for DIY Cards and Counters, Number or Letter Matching, Number or Letter Basket, Bead Bar Work, Hands-on Math Operations, Number or Letter Salt/Sand Writing Tray, Letter Tracing, DIY Movable Alphabet, and Creative Writing (subscriber freebie, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

More Insect Resources

There are Montessori-inspired insect packs for butterflies, ants, bees, ladybugs, and noisy insects (subscriber freebies, so just sign up for my email to get the link and password – or check your inbox if you’re already a subscriber).

Free Noisy Insect Printables and Montessori-Inspired Noisy Insect Activities

Free Insect Songs, Sounds, and Rhymes for Circle Time

If you’d like ideas for calendar-based themes throughout July and August, see my July Themed Activities for Kids and August Themed Activities for Kids.

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer! 🙂

Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!

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