Colorful Insect Identification Craft for Kids

This insect identification craft is such an easy kids project or boredom buster. It allows your children (and you!) to learn about the bugs in your environment!

Skills Required: Beginner. Adults can easily do this project, and it’s appropriate for children who are able to cut out a bit more detail. If you use thicker cardstock, you don’t have to worry about any wrinkles. 

Halloween is right around the corner – the holiday where we celebrate all that is creepy and spooky. And I don’t know about you, but to me there is nothing creepier than insects.

And living in the south means that we have some BIG, scary bugs (I guess they like warmer temperatures?). I see insects running around here all the time and always wonder what they are.

I made this easy insect identification chart project so that you can take the opportunity, with your children, to learn about the bugs in your environment! This would make a great science fair or home school project, and it’s so easy to make. Here’s how I did it.

DIY Insect Identification Chart

Gather These Supplies

• Wood slice – I got this at the craft store
• Mod Podge Matte
• Scrapbook paper – colors of your choice including white
• Die cutter (optional)
• Paintbrush
• Clip art of insects of your choice
• Pen
• Detail scissors

Cut Out the Bugs and the Tags

The first step is to choose your insects and print out silhouettes of them using your printer. You can get more detailed if you are working with older children – it depends on the cutting skills of your child.

Pick 6 – 8 insects to identify (try to focus on your local area!) and cut them out using scrapbook paper.

Tip: older children can use detail scissors to get smaller cuts.

Note: If you choose to print your bugs, remember that you should print them out with laserjet ink if you don’t want them to bleed. Otherwise, print them on inkjet, and then spray both sides with clear acrylic sealer. Then let dry. My preference is to use laserjet whenever possible.

You have a couple choices for cutting out the tags. You can do it by hand, or you can use a die cutter. It might be fun to make the ID cards in fancy shapes?

Make an ID card for each insect that you cut out.

Lay Out the Design and Write the Names

As you cut out your insects, lay them out on your wood slice surface.

Write the name of each insect on the ID tag. You can use Scientific Names of Insects to get the Latin name.

Mod Podge the ID Chart

Once you have all of the names written on the ID tags, Mod Podge everything down to the surface. Add Mod Podge to the wood slice, place the bugs and tags down and smooth. Let dry for 15 – 20 minutes.

Once the project is dry, give it several coats of Mod Podge over the top and let dry again.

When your insect ID craft is dry, then you’re ready to display.

Now you’re official. An official bug identifier, that is!

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This is such a fun science activity for kids! For more activities along the same lines, visit 20 science experiments for kids over at Happy Hooligans!

We also have more fun kids’ crafts here on the blog – check out our slime recipe, our toothpick cactus craft, our birdhouses, and of course our Mod Podge crafts for kids.