Grab a bug catcher & invite your kids to go on a bug hunt. This Backyard Bug Hunt Activity For Kids is so easy to put together and is perfect for outdoor or indoor play during the spring and summer months.

One the best parts about spring and summer is all of the time spent outdoors. If you’re like me and want to spend hours and hours with your kids outside this year, but you’re not exactly sure what to do then you’re in the right spot. Last year my amazing mom (or Mimi as my girls fondly refer to her) came up with the BEST activity ever—a backyard bug hunt. This Backyard Bug Hunt Activity for Kids was an instant hit with my girls and continues to be one of their all time favorite activities. I’m excited to share it with you today! Ready to get started?

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Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Toy Bugs (You can find the ones we have here and here)
• Bug Catcher (We have this pink one, but here’s a green/orange one and a yellow/blue one)

This is maybe the simplest activity I’ve ever shared. All you need are toy bugs, a bug catcher (or basket), and your cute little bug explorer. I told you it was easy!

The backyard bug hunt is set up exactly like an Easter Egg Hunt, except with bugs. Pretty brilliant, right?

We had so much fun taking turns hiding the bugs while the other person sat down, closed their eyes, and promised not to peek. Lots of great practice taking turns and waiting patiently. After all of the bugs are hidden it’s time to go on a bug hunt!

These bugs sure can be sneaky. They like to hide all over the place. Especially in flowers.

And you might find them next to or under bushes.

You’re sure to find some peeking out of the grass.

Once you think you’ve found them all be sure to practice counting them just to make sure there aren’t any stragglers.

There’s so many ways to make this activity jam packed with learning. You could work on counting, sorting, or even talk about how certain bugs can use camouflage to blend in with their background.

After we talked about how certain bugs can blend in with their surroundings, I found the next set of bugs blending in with the slide. I love how learning can be so hands on and stem from playing together. That’s the best kind of learning in my book!

Isn’t this Backyard Bug Hunt Activity for Kids so fun and more importantly super simple? While it was so fun to get outside and explore, this activity could easily be brought indoors on a rainy or cold day. You could also bring it along to your favorite park. It would also be a great kid-friendly energy burner on a road trip. Lots of possibilities!

I hope you and your kids have a fun time learning and playing together this spring and summer!

Looking for other Spring activities? Be sure to check out the Let’s Celebrate Spring Family Activity List for lots of inspiration!

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