Montessori-Inspired Life Cycle Activities

Spring is the perfect time for life cycle activities. And there are lots of hands-on materials that can make learning about life cycles extra fun for young children.

I had fun reviewing six life cycle materials from Safari Ltd. Today, I’m sharing some simple life cycle activities – one activity for each of the life cycles I reviewed.

Disclosure: I received each of the 6 Safari Ltd. life cycle sets to review. This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Life Cycle of a Bean Plant

I used the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Green Bean Plant and free bean plant life cycle printables from Twinkl for this activity. You could also use the free learning the plant life cycle printable from Exploring Nature. I used a large plastic tray and large hemmed work rug from Montessori Services for the layout.

I also have a post with Life cycle of a Bean Plant and Seed Planting Activities.

Check out my Montessori-Inspired Botany/Gardening Unit for lots of gardening activities.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

For this activity, I used the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly and free butterfly life cycle cards from The Helpful Garden. (Note: The cards I used are no longer available, but you’ll find similar free monarch butterfly life cycle cards by The Laminatrix at Teachers Pay Teachers.)

Check out my Butterfly Sensory Bin with Scavenger Hunt and Life Cycle Activities {Free Printables} for more butterfly life cycle activities.

You’ll find a number of butterfly life cycle activities (including raising painted lady butterflies) here.

Check out my Montessori-Inspired Caterpillar-Butterfly Unit for lots of caterpillar and butterfly activities.

Life Cycle of a Ladybug

For this activity, I used the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Ladybug. The printable I used is not longer free, but you’ll find free ladybug (and many other animals) life cycle printables at The Pinay Homeschooler.

Life Cycle of a Ladybug Layout

Check out my Montessori-Inspired Ladybug Activities Using Free Printables (including a life cycle sensory tub) and Free Ladybug Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ladybug Activities for more ladybug activities and resources.

Life Cycle of a Frog

For this activity, I used the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Frog and free life cycle of a frog with definitions from Montessori 123.

See also my Montessori Frog Life Cycle Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers.

I have even more frog life cycle activities in my Lots of Learning and Fun with Frogs Sensory Bin.

Check out my Montessori-Inspired Frog Activities for more frog resources and activities.

Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle

For this activity, I used the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Green Sea Turtle and free life cycle of a sea turtle cards from Montessori Motivation at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Check out my Montessori-Inspired Turtle Activities roundup post for more turtle activities and resources.

Life Cycle of a Chicken

This activity uses the Safari Ltd. Life Cycle of a Chicken and the free life cycle of a chicken fact cards and flow chart from Learn Create Love. It’s one of the activities I shared in my Montessori-Inspired Easter Egg Activities Using Free Printables at PreK + K Sharing. Here I used a medium-sized tray from Montessori Services.

There are great life cycle booklets and other life cycle printables from Montessori Print Shop that can be used to extend any life cycle study.

Note: there are 4 more Safari Ltd. life cycle sets that I didn’t review: Life Cycle of a Honey Bee, Life Cycle of a Luna Moth, Life Cycle of a Stag Beetle, and Life Cycle of a Mosquito.

More Life Cycle Posts at Living Montessori Now

Ant Sensory Bin with Scavenger Hunt and Life Cycle Activities

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