Summertime means flowers, animals foraging and plenty of bugs. This is a fun kid’s craft to help teach kids about insects, or just something fun and colorful to do one afternoon! If you have a group of kids, you could make an entire tree of plastic spoon bugs! Great for a classroom display.
Plastic Spoon Bugs
School will be starting up again soon, so think about how cute this display of plastic spoon bugs would be in your classroom. A great way to get everyone acquainted and creating something together.
RELATED: Don’t miss my Tips for Painting on Plastic!
As always, a full printable supply list and instructions are at the end of this post.
You will need the following supplies for plastic spoon bugs:
- plastic spoons
- 1 sheet of green felt
- craft paint: brown, black and white, and other colors of your choice.
- tools: sandpaper, paintbrush, toothpick, scissors, hot glue gun, green marker
- Print the leaf pattern here
Sand the back side of the spoons and the handles.
Paint the handles brown.
Paint the spoon in colors of your choice.
Let them dry then apply a second coat to everything.
Use the handle end of a paintbrush to add polka dots.
You can use a toothpick for smaller dots.
Use the handle end of the paintbrush to add white for the eyes. Let the white dry completely.
Add black dots to the white eyes using a toothpick.
Cut out leaves from green felt.
Draw the leaf veins on with a green marker.
Cut a small hole near the base of each leaf.
Insert the spoon handle into the leaf’s hole until the leaf can go no further.
Add a dab of hot glue to secure the bug to the leaf.
NOTE: Googly eyes can be used instead of painting the eyes if you prefer.
More animal crafts
I have more animal and insect crafts for kids if you’re looking! This Coiled Cardboard Tube Caterpillar is a fun spring craft kids will love. Caterpillars are a symbol of spring, and classrooms all over the country house them to show kids the metamorphosis that occurs after they make their cocoon.
And what happens to caterpillars after that metamorphosis? They turned into butterflies of course! This butterfly craft is made from cardboard tubes as well, only this time kids will cut the tubes into thin strips to create the butterfly shape.
We’ll move on from cardboard tubes and start using egg cartons. After all, I’m all about recycled crafts on this blog! This Egg Carton Frog is super cute and easy to make. Here’s another animal that is seen quite a bit in the spring as they migrate out of their winter hibernation.
Frogs are amphibious, which means they live in the water and on land. We started with bugs, then flying insects, then moved to amphibians, and now we are on to the water. These adorable Tropical Seashell Fish are a fun way to use up some of those seashells you’re kids will be hauling back from summer vacation!
If you liked these crafts, you’ll love these adorable spoon bugs from my friends at Paging Fun Mums!
I have plenty of ideas for animal crafts here. So be sure to check them all out!
Plastic Spoon Craft: Bugs on a Branch
Supplies
- 3 plastic spoons
- 1 sheet green felt
- Paint: brown black and white, and other colors of your choice
- Tools: Sandpaper paintbrush, toothpick, scissors, hot glue gun, green marker
- Leaf pattern in the post
Instructions
- Sand the back side of the spoons and the handles.
- Paint the handles brown.
- Paint the spoon in colors of your choice.
- Let them dry then apply a second coat to everything.
- Use the handle end of a paintbrush to add polka dots. You can use a toothpick for a smaller dot.
- Use the handle end of the paintbrush to add white for the eyes. Let the white dry completely.
- Add black dots to the white eyes using a toothpick.
- Cut out leaves from green felt. Draw the leaf veins on with a green marker.
- Cut a small hole near the base of each leaf.
- Insert the spoon handle into the leaf's hole until the leaf can go no further.
- Add a dab of hot glue to secure the bug to the leaf.
Expert Tips & FAQs
This post was originally published on this blog on Jul 16, 2014.
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Marie says
Absolutely adorable! I love these bugs!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks, Marie! :)
Gina Malito says
Do you think one could decoupage real leaves to use? Cute idea!
Amanda Formaro says
I would be afraid the leaves would curl up as they lose moisture. But it would be a fun experiment for sure!
Fatima says
It’s a great n easy craft for my kidd! Will definitely make lots of these bugs to decor my classroom!!
Thanks Amands for sharing this idea.
Wendy says
Amanda, this is adorable! I was wondering if ithe leaves could be made with sturdy paper to make hand fans for warm days. : )
Amanda Formaro says
I think that sounds like a great idea Wendy!
Carmen says
I love the idea! was thinking though what kind of paint you used? I assume tempera will eventually chip off, won’t it?
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Carmen. Correct, tempura would flake off. I use acrylic craft paint, like Americana or Folk Art.
Bakoly says
Bonjour Amanda,
Merci de nous avoir partagé cette belle activité, je vais faire ça comme activité la semaine prochaine avec les tous petits! mais j’ai changé la feuille verte en tulipe et chacun en aura une.
encore merci.
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you Bakoly! Hope you have fun with it!
Susan @ Oh My! Creative says
What a great kids craft! My son comes home with some awesome crafts…this is perfect for at school or at home!
So clever, Amanda!
Susan
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Susan, I appreciate that!
Missy @ Dot-to-Dot Connections says
What a cute craft! I’m pinning this one! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you Missy!
Joann says
These are so cute. I’m going to try it with my 3 year olds. They love bugs and paint!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Joann, glad you found them fun!
jet says
aaaaw this is sooooo cute.
i have hanging allready allot of fake leaves in my trees;-D
and plastic fruit as well.
Two neigbhour likes it. I think the rest don’t, but it’s my roof garden. I’m glad to add when i have tried this one of yours on the trees as well.LOL
And i will send your idea to my sis, she works as a teacher and is allways trying out new idea’s.
well done girl!!! i really like it and thanks for the sharing and your great tute;-D
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Jet! Glad you enjoyed it, and hope your sister has fun!