Activity

Lightning Bug Craft

Light up your home with a lightning bug craft that keeps glowing even after summer's gone! This easy recycled craft makes use of any empty bottle and just a few craft materials. Kids will learn bug anatomy while creating colorful shapes to decorate the lightning bug. They'll end up with a personalized toy that glows like magic. Even if the real lightning bugs aren't out to play, this bug craft is sure to keep your little insect lover engaged.

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Grade

Second Grade

Subject

Arts & crafts

What You Need:

Water bottle
Construction paper
Tape
Scissors
Pipe cleaner
Markers
Stickers
Glow stick

What You Do:

Have your child choose a few sheets of colored construction paper.
Draw two wing shapes on the paper and cut them out. Lightning have bugs wing that are long and oval.
Have your child tape the wings on the back of the water bottle.
Using the same color paper, cut out a rectangle for the lightning bug's belly. Cut thin strips on either side for fringes, or have your child decorate it in any way she likes.
Tape the belly to the front of the bottle.
Use construction paper of a different color for the face. Cut out a square or circle and have your child decorate it with stickers or markers.
Tape the face to the top of the bottle.
Cut two pieces of pipe cleaner, about 3" in length.
Take off the bottle cap and let your child bend the pipe cleaners into antennae. Then tape them to the bottle cap.
Place a glow stick in the bottle and screw the cap back on.
Finally, place the lightning bug in a dark room and watch it glow!

Did you know that lightning bugs use their lights to communicate with one another? Ask your child what she thinks they might be saying the next time you spot some in your backyard.