Ladybug Games

Once I came across some colorful ladybugs made by Amanda recently, I remembered an activity that included ladybugs made from lids with marbles underneath. The point of the game, as I recall, was to have the ladybugs roll to reach a flower.  I decided our flowers could be drawn with sidewalk chalk.

So we set about crafting our own ladybugs and gave the game a whirl.  Each one of my three children, who range in age from 2 to 6 years, had great fun making them together with me.

Steps to Make the Ladybugs (or "Ladybirds"):

1. First, we drew ladybugs the size of plastic juice carton caps and colored them. 
2. Then we cut them out and glued them on the caps. For some of the ladybugs we cut out brown paper heads and glued under the bodies. 
3. We didn't have plastic googly eyes, so we used a hole punch and pen and glued eyes near the edge of each plastic cap. 
4. We put a marble underneath the cap so the ladybug could roll. This is optional however, since they slide without marbles as well.
5. Our driveway was too grainy for the ladybugs to move smoothly, so we cut a piece of plastic and laid it out on top of the leaves and flower drawings.  Sticks and stones were used to keep the plastic from flying away in the wind.  We also tried wax paper indoors, which also worked and allowed the ladybugs to land on the real leaves underneath.

Ladybug Game and Activity Ideas

• Ladybug Hopscotch: The bugs move from leaf to leaf to flower. This can be done by pushing them gently. Or, holding the ladybugs, kids can hop with their feet on a larger array of leaves.

• Musical Leaves: A version of musical chairs where the bugs or the kids holding them move around until the music stops. See the song below if you need one.

• Ladybug Song: Sing these lyrics below to the tune of 5 Little Ducks.

                                   Five ladybugs went out one day,
                                   Over the hills and far away,
                                   Mama bug said "buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz!"
                                   And four ladybugs came wandering back.

• Ladybug Cake Walk: Similar to musical chairs, except the bug that lands on the flower when the music stops wins a treat.

• Ladybug Relay: Set up a track and have the bugs tag the next ladybug until the team finishes the race.

More Ideas?
My kids also had fun just holding the ladybugs and moving them around imaginatively.  You might think of more ideas as well.   If you do, please add your idea(s) as a comment.

Further Reading
Making and playing games with these ladybugs would also be enriching accompaniments to Eric Carle's book, The Grouchy Ladybug, or another of our favorites, Ten Little Ladybugs, by Melanie Gerth.