You should be able to find most of your supplies in the park or in your backyard. if you don’t have a scrap piece of wood, you can use the top of a shoe box or a flap from any cardboard shipping box. Styrofoam works too!
A note about glue gun safety: Parents should handle the glue gun as temperatures can get very hot and cause uncomfortable burns. Allowing older children to use the glue gun is entirely up to the parent, but child should always be supervised!
The natural Bug Village is perfect for a boy’s room while girls will adore the colorful bugs!
Bug Village
Supplies
- sticks in various sizes
- acorn tops
- smooth rocks in different sizes
- hot glue gun parents must do this!
- square or rectangular scrap of wood
- matte acrylic spray sealer
- small woodsie sign
- black fine tip craft pen
For Natural
- wiggle eyes
For Colorful
- toothpick
- paintbrush
- household sponge
- acrylic paint in forest green, olive green, light brown, cream, light blue, light green, red, blue, orange, yellow, pink, purple, black, and white
Instructions
Natural
- Begin by making sure the ends of the sticks are fairly flat. You can do this by simply pushing the ends against the sidewalk. Use hot glue gun to attach the sticks to the block of wood, then glue the acorn tops to the top of each stick. Wash all the rocks and be sure they are dry before gluing on wiggle eyes. Glue the rocks to the wood in various places. Write the words “Bug Village” on a small woodsie sign (recycle cereal box cardboard works great too!) and glue to the front of the piece of wood as shown in photo.
Colorful
- Paint the block of wood with forest green paint. When dry, sponge on some olive green paint to the forest green. Paint the sticks with light brown paint. Paint some of the acorn tops with light blue and the rest with light green. Glue the sticks to the wood, then glue the acorn tops to the sticks.
- Wash all the rocks and be sure they are dry before you paint them. use various colors to paint the rocks: blue, red, purple, pink, green, etc. Use the stylus or toothpick to dot on spots and/or lines to your bugs. Dot on white spots for eyes, and a smaller black dot onto the white spot. Glue rocks in place when they are dry.
- Create a sign by painting a small woodsie sign with cream paint, then shade the edges with light brown. Use black fine tip craft pen to write “Welcome to Bug Village” in the center.
Did you enjoy this post? Why not subscribe to my feed, or better yet, to my free newsletter – Foodie in the Craftroom, which provides not only crafts but recipes from my other blog, Amanda’s Cookin’ as well!
Emilia says
I’m absolutely in love with your website and all your craft ideas. I’m looking through all of them and trying to find something suitable for my 2 year old son.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks so much for the compliments Emilia! I hope you were able to find something. I also own Fun Family Crafts, you could try there as well.
er says
SUCH A WONDERFUL IDEA. CAN’T WAIT TO GET THE KIDS ON IT.
Mod Podge Amy says
This is so cute I can hardly stand it! Stumbling!! xo
Wiola says
(Oops not depression, but burnout.)
Wiola says
Aaaaw this looks so cute that if I didn't know better I would want to eat them all (poor teeth). I found some "stone art" a while ago. Perhaps you would like this as well. Here's the link: http://www.styleroom.se/album/26982
(The woman who decorated these stones did so as a way for her to overcome her depression.)
Cathy @ NurtureStore says
I love this project – and my girls will too. Thanks for the idea. (Visiting via Craft Schooling Sunday)
maggy, red ted art says
Oh my! Once again ADORABLE!! Love this "nature craft" and bug village. Simply perfect :-)
Thanks for joining Kids Get Crafty – always fab to have you there!
Maggy
creativejewishmom/sara says
love this one Amanda, and two versions are great! Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday! Sorry I haven't been by your site lately but will try to stop by with some Rosh HaShana crafts! all the best!
Katrina says
Fun. Looks like something a couple boys here would like!
betweenarockandahobby says
They're so cute!! What a fun idea for a kids craft!
Cheryl @ Sew Can Do says
Really cute – this will be fun to do with the kids:)
Melony Bradley says
This is a super cute end of Summer craft. I love crafts where kids can enjoy the outdoors and creativity at the same time
http://mel-designs.typepad.com/my-blog/2010/06/camp-roasting-sticks.html
Cecilia says
I love both of them!! Very cute! :)
Cecilia