Re-create edible ant hills.
Ants capture the attention of preschoolers who enjoy science, bugs or nature. Ant art projects work well within a bug theme at the preschool level. The kids create ant crafts while learning about the crawling bugs. The ant crafts fit into a preschool curriculum, but they also work well at home if you have a curious preschooler.
Recycled Ants
Recycled ants let the young kids create their own ant replicas for display. A common option is to use three egg cups from an egg carton to create the body of the ant. Let the preschoolers paint the egg cups to make them look more like an ant. Add wiggly eyes, pipe cleaner legs and pipe cleaner antennae. To expand on the recycling theme, gather a variety of recyclable materials. Show the kids a picture of an ant, emphasizing the three sections (head, thorax and abdomen). The kids choose the desired materials and glue them together to create ants. Display the ants around the room.
Fingerprint Insects
A preschooler's thumb print creates the body for the ants in this art idea. Dip each child's thumb into washable paint or onto a washable ink pad. The kids press three thumb prints in a row with them touching slightly. Encourage them to draw in the antennae, legs and other details. They can also color the background and draw additional details like trees or the sun. Another idea is to put the thumb print ants on a pieces of red and white checked paper to resemble ants on a picnic blanket.
Paper Ant Hill
A large sheet of butcher paper becomes the ant hill for this art project. Cut the butcher paper to resemble the shape of an ant hill. The kids draw or paint the tunnels inside the ant hill. They could make them straight and organized or winding and all over the place. Add some ants inside the ant hill. The thumb print ants would work well inside the ant hill picture.
Edible Ant Hill
Art projects don't have to hang on the wall. Edible art projects appeal to preschoolers who enjoy helping out at snack time. A scoop of chocolate pudding in a clear plastic cup represents the dirt. A layer of crushed graham crackers on top of the pudding creates the sandier dirt that creates the hill itself. The edible ants come in the form of chocolate chips, which the kids can press into the edible ant hill. Take a picture of the kids with their masterpieces before they eat them.
Tags: inside hill, thumb print, work well, butcher paper, kids create, kids press