THUMBPRINT BUGS - Roll your thumb on an ink pad and make some thumb prints on a piece of paper. Draw on some legs, antennae and eyes.

SPIDER HEADBAND - Materials: 6" x 18" 0 5 x 46 cm) black construction paper, one per child, 1 " x 12" (2.5 x 30.5 cm) strips of black construction paper 8 per child for the legs, 2 paper fasteners per child, 1 rubber band per child, paste or glue, 8 shiny sequins, peel & stick dots, or buttons per child for the eyes, pieces of chalk. Steps to Follow: Fold the large piece of black construction paper in half lengthwise to form the headband. To avoid "spider legs" dangling in front of the face: Work in pairs. Have one child place the headband around his/her own head with the open side down. The partner makes a chalk mark on each side to show where the first leg should attach. Fold the legs back and forth accordion style. To attach legs, spread paste over an inch or so on one end of each black strip. Attach 4 legs to each side of the headband. Paste the 8 eyes to the center part of the headband. To secure the headband: Poke a hole about one inch (2.5 cm) from each end of the headband. An adult should do this step. Insert a paper fastener into each hole, opening it on the inside of the headband. Loop the rubber band around the head of each fastener.

Draw spirals - Have the kids practice drawing spirals on a piece of paper.

SNAIL SWIRLS - Make snails swirls using brown finger paint on the sides of folded fists, then make strokes with fingers to make the body of the snails. Provide a variety of seeds, beans, peas, etc., to glue on as eyes.

FLY PUPPETS - Make fly puppets following the instructions (see enclosed sheet). Use them to add interest when singing "Shoo Fly."

MAGNETS AND PINS - Materials: red pompons, craft glue, black felt, safety pin or magnet, hole punch, glue gun (for adult use only) Directions: Give each child a pompon and some black felt. Let them use the hole punch to make black spots for the ladybug from the felt. Glue the spots on to the pompon with the craft glue. Using a hot glue gun, attach a magnet or safety pin to the bottom of the ladybug. (Only an adult should handle the glue gun.) Let the glue harden before returning the magnet or pin to the child.

LADYBUG CLIP - Materials: red pompons, craft glue, black felt, clothespins, hole punch. Directions: Decorate the pompon with felt spots, as above. Glue a ladybug pompom to the end of a clothespin; allow the glue to dry. Use the ladybug clips in the classroom to hold or hang papers, or have the children take them home as gifts for their parents.

CRAYON RELIEF - Materials: drawing paper, watercolor paints, white crayons, paintbrushes. Directions: Instruct each child to draw a nature scene with ladybugs, using white crayon. They should only draw the outlines of the shapes. A good idea for a nature scene would be a flower bush with ladybugs. Let each child go over the scene with watercolor paints, either in stripes of color across the page or different colors painted lightly over each object. Allow to dry and then display the crayon reliefs around the room. An added touch would be to hang them on a line using your ladybug clips! Most young children think that all bugs are insects. This experiment will help them to realize that this is not true. They will start to appreciate the details that help us to differentiate between bugs and insects.

POTATO PRINT LADYBUGS - Using a potato cut in half print red circles. When dry add dots, eyes, legs with black pen.

CARDBOARD LADYBUG - Make ladybugs from corrugated cardboard. Cut an oval shape from the cardboard. Insert three 6" pipe cleaners for legs through tunnels in the cardboard. Bend legs appropriately and add stickers for spots. Color in eyes or add wiggly eyes.

LADYBUG HAND PUPPETS - Cut two pieces of felt into oval shapes that are flat on one end - large enough to fit on hand. Then cut two wings to glue onto felt body. Glue on buttons for spots and wiggle eyes, pipe cleaner antennae.

PRETTY POLKA-DOTTED LADIES - Youngsters will scurry over to make one of these ladybugs. To make one, cut a pair of same-sized circles from waxed paper. Place one of the circles, waxed side up, on a newspaper-covered surface. Sprinkle red crayon shavings over the circle; then add black construction-paper circles and antennae. Place the remaining circle on top of the first. Cover the layers with a second piece of newspaper; then use an iron (on a low heat setting) to melt the wax. Are you seeing spots yet? Kimberli Carrier-Preschool Wise Owl Preschool Nashua, NH

LADYBUG PUPPET - Make a simple ladybug puppet by following these directions.
Materials: body pattern, large sewing needle, red, black, and white felt, fabric, craft, or tacky glue, red or black sewing thread or, embroidery thread, scissors, white chalk. Directions: Using white chalk, trace the entire pattern (head and body) onto black felt, marking the "leg" holes. (See position of "leg" holes on pattern.) Cut out the holes and the body piece. This will make the bottom of the body. Again using the white chalk, trace only the body pattern onto red felt. Cut it out. Cut out the headpiece from the pattern and trace it onto black felt. To make the eyes, cut two small circles from white felt and glue them to the head. Cut out the head and glue it in the appropriate place on the red felt to make the upper body. Cut out a strip of black felt to glue along the center of the upper body to divide the wings. Also cut out black dots to decorate the wings with spots. Place the upper body on top of the lower body and stitch them together around the sides and head. Leave the tail-end free. Place your hand inside the puppet, inserting your fingers through the holes. You now have a ladybug puppet!

LADY BUG PUPPET - Youngsters are sure to enjoy "flying" these lovely ladybug finger puppets while singing the following song. To make one, cut a 2 1/2" circle from red craft foam; then cut the circle in half to form wings. Use a black marker to add spots. Next hot-glue the wings, a bent four-inch length of black pipe cleaner, and wiggle eyes to a film canister as shown. Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home!

BUG CATCHER - Using an oatmeal container with lid - cut large "window" in side. Glue or tape screen or netting to inside over hole. Punch two holes in sides to add yarn handle.

LADYBUG FINGERPUPPET - To make a ladybug finger puppet for each child, collect a supply of red jug lids. Hot glue a black pom-pom to each jug lid forming the head; then glue two wiggle eyes to pom-pom. Using a permanent black marker, embellish the ladybugs back with dots. Insert a ball of clay or play dough into the lid. To use the puppet, a child must press a finger into the dough.

LADYBUG OVERLAYS - Part of the interest in The Ladybug and Other Insects is the use of clear overlays. The children can make ladybug overlays of their own by following these directions. Materials: white index paper, crayons, white drawing paper, scissors, patterns, pencils, sturdy, clear plastic wrap, stapler. Directions: These show a ladybug in flight and at rest. You will make your own versions of this page. Trace and cut one body pattern, one set of leg patterns, two sets of outer wing patterns, one set of inner wing patterns, and one head and shield on the drawing paper. Color the body, the head and shield, and the legs black. Leave the inner wings white. Color the outer wings red with black spots. On a sheet of index paper, construct a ladybug at rest, using one set of outer wings, the head and shield, and the legs. Draw on the antennae and eyes. Cut out a 1 " (2.5 cm) border around two sheets of index paper, leaving the center of each empty. Cut a sheet of plastic wrap the same size as the borders. Glue the plastic wrap between the index paper borders. You now have a clear sheet with a paper border on both sides. Lay this sheet over the sheet with the ladybug at rest. On the plastic sheet, directly over the ladybug at rest, glue on the ladybug body, inner wings, and a second set of outer wings plus the spots, showing the ladybug in flight.

Staple the two sheets together along the left margin. You now have a completed overlay. You can use this overlay method for many other things. Let the children brainstorm for other overlay ideas and then make the overlays individually or with a partner to share with the class.

LADYBUG SHAPE BOOK - Create a book shaped like a ladybug. Kids can write their ladybug fact in it. Write a ladybug story.

PLANT PAL - Using small red and black pompoms. Glue together. Gently twist a piece of pipe cleaner around and between the two pompoms. Leave a little sticking up for antennae. Glue on white eyes and dot with black marker. Put some dots on the back. Glue piece of magnet on bottom and use another piece of magnet underneath the leaf to hold it on.

BULLETIN BOARD - Make a bulletin board with white paper. Draw large blades of grass and flowers. Cut out center of plastic dinner plates. Use marker to draw details.

BUMBLE BEE ART - Cut, color and paste.

EGG CARTON BEES - Glue, tape or staple two egg cups sections together. Paint yellow. Dry and then add some black strips, face, wings, and pipe-cleaners for feet. Tie to a stick or make several and put on a mobile or branch.

ANT HILL - Draw a picture of an ant mound. Draw the tunnels and different dens. Could glue sand along the outside of the mound.

SHIMMERY DRAGONFLIES - A display of these dazzling dragonflies is sure to attract plenty of attention! To make a dragonfly, fold a 9" x 12" sheet of white construction paper in half (to 4 1/2" x 12"). Place a tag board template of the pattern on page 16 on the folded paper as shown; then trace around the shape and cut along the resulting outline. Unfold the cutout. Working atop a newspaper-covered surface, use tempera paint to paint the cutout as desired. Sprinkle the wet paint with glitter. Or wait for the paint to dry, brush a thin layer of diluted glue over the project, and sprinkle glitter atop the glue. Mount the dazzling dragonfly on a 9" x 12" sheet of construction paper before putting it on display. Spectacular! Allison Haynes Lexington, NC

DAZZLING DRAGONFLIES - Dazzle'em with these easy-to-make dragonflies! To make one, use markers to add eyes and some color to an old-fashioned wooden clothespin. Next tie a ten--inch length of monofilament line into a loop. Also cut two rectangles (about 5" x 8") from different colors of cellophane. Holding the clothespin with the open end up, slide the loop, then the two cellophane pieces into the clothespin. Dangle these dainty insects in front of a sunny window.