Looking for a fun activity to do with the kids? Tired of the same old crafts and trips to the park? Spend some time teaching them about life cycles, responsibility, and patience without feeling like you are lecturing in a classroom. Scoop up a butterfly growing kit and let the excitement begin!
Where To Find A Butterfly Growing Kit
One may ask, “where do you even find such a thing as a butterfly growing kit?” Look no further than the Insect Lore Butterfly Garden. Insect Lore thoughtfully designed and packaged this kit to protect the precious cargo. This kit is delivered right to your door like a butterfly stork service if you will. Inside you will find everything you need to grow your butterflies, including tiny baby caterpillars. Additional items that you will need are water (to dilute the butterfly feed) and q-tips (to clean the chrysalides). That’s it!
Read More: 4 Stupendous STEM Activities For Elementary School Children
Patience Is A Virtue And Grows Butterflies
In full transparency, this is the most difficult part of this project. The Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kit provides almost everything you need. However, patience is not packaged and delivered. Instead, you will need to take time to teach your children about the butterfly life cycle, and that like many things in life, patience is key. Even though the days may seem to drag on with the “are we there yet” syndrome that parents know so well, the outcome is worth every second of the grueling wait. A butterfly growing kit is a perfect example of the life lesson that beautiful, amazing things will happen with hard work, diligence, persistence, patience, and grace.
The Circle Of Life
Get out the lab coat and insert a science lesson here. Typically life cycles are taught academically around 3rd to 4th grade. However, learning the basics of life cycles can start as early as preschool or be a great refresher in the later grades. Your family will be captivated by observing the fascinating changes that will take place in your butterfly growing kit.
When the butterfly growing kit arrives, you will have tiny caterpillars in a small clear container. As the days pass you will watch these tiny caterpillars grow and grow. After a short time, they will each slowly make their way up to the top of the cup to become a chrysalis. Literally, one of the coolest things you will see.
Once this process has taken place, transfer your chrysalis to the pop-up habitat. As the development continues you will observe these delicate beings wiggle around as they transform into butterflies. The butterflies will begin to break free from their protective shells and will be looking for their first meal as they flutter around the habitat. After all the butterflies have hatched and several days have passed, it will finally be time to release these beautiful creatures into nature.
Read More: Exploring The World With Science: Water Cycle
Responsibility
A butterfly growing kit is not quite the same responsibility as a new puppy but it’s a great place to start. One of the most important character traits we hope to instill inside our littles is responsibility. The butterfly growing kit gives your child a variety of ways to demonstrate responsibility during the butterfly’s lifecycle. When the transformation process first begins it is essential that everyone shows restraint by not handling the container that houses the caterpillars.
After the caterpillar’s transition into the chrysalis stage, they will need to be delicately cleaned with a dry q-tip and placed in the pop-up habitat. The same vital rules of not touching the pop-up habitat will be in effect. It is important for your little to show responsibility, once again, as to not knock down or damage a chrysalis. We all know how tough it is for our kiddos to not touch something when they have been told not to.
As the process moves along, your child will need to demonstrate responsibility when it’s time to feed the butterflies. It will be imperative that your child remembers what to feed them and how often their meal should be replenished according to the butterfly growing kit. Having responsibility (with adult supervision) for taking care of the butterflies will lead to an increased sense of accomplishment and self-esteem.
Read More: Creating Masterful Minds: Using STEAM To Shape Our Children
Celebrating Wins
Everyone should celebrate their wins! There is always a little uncertainty when dealing with nature, however, Insect Lore guarantees that 3 out of the 5 caterpillars will develop into Painted Lady butterflies. A butterfly growing kit will allow the entire family to celebrate their wins on “release day”.
As the development of the caterpillars to butterflies occurs, your family will have plenty of chances to celebrate. The family can celebrate when the caterpillars grow (man do they grow), the metamorphosis process occurs, the transfer of the chrysalis to the habitat, when the butterflies appear, and lastly, when the butterflies are released. With so many events occurring, the family will be celebrating frequently.
A great way to celebrate when the butterflies first arrive is to have a fruit snack prepared. Butterflies love fruit and so do our littles. How adorable will it be when you snap a picture of the butterfly and your mini eating a delicious fruit snack together. Another great idea to celebrate the win is to have your kiddos create posters and have a mini ceremony when it is time to release your butterflies. Celebrating wins will be so much fun you will find yourself ordering more caterpillars just to keep the celebration going.
A butterfly growing kit is a terrific experience that your whole family will enjoy. It is a great learning opportunity for your kids and an excellent way to bond as a family. In a time where technology rules, the butterfly growing kit gives your family a chance to unplug, step back, and simply soak in time together, be a part of nature, and be wowed with the results.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Now that you are a science pro, here is Exploring The World With Science: The Basics Of Our Food Chains.
💖 NEWSLETTER: DAILY READS IN YOUR INBOX 💖
Sign up to receive our picks for the best things to do, see and buy so you can relax and focus on more important tasks! Let us help you be the best version of yourself you can be!
GET MORE FROM DAILY MOM, PARENTS PORTAL
Newsletter: Daily Mom delivered to you
Facebook: @DailyMomOfficial
Instagram: @DailyMomOfficial | @DailyMomTravel | @BestProductsClub
YouTube: @DailyMomVideos
Pinterest: @DailyMomOfficial
📌 LOVE IT? PIN IT!📌
Photo Credits: Amanda Armstrong, Unsplash.com
