We all had a bit of fear of insects when we were young, especially when it comes to creepy ones like spiders. Because people tend to be afraid of things we don’t know about. So, when your kids don’t know what these small creatures are and often the adults react quite negatively as well. All of that makes getting up close with a few creepy-crawlies or just thinking about it are very scary for them. No worry, here are a few tips to help your kids get over their fear of bugs.
Discover and Observe other Life Forms in Your Backyard
Starting gently by exploring mission is a good way for young children to learn more about inserts. And, as we mentioned before, the more they know about insects, the less they feel afraid of them! Discover the backyard with your kids and you two might notice a lot of friendly bugs like ladybugs or butterflies. Also, going out on a midsummer night and enjoying the dance of the fireflies is not only appealing for kids but also a good way to make them like insects more. For an even closer look, we recommend collecting non-flying insects like beetles or ants. Leave the flying one alone because trapping them can be tricky and unkind. And, if your child does capture one of these, encourage them to let it go.
Nurture and Study
A plastic container, with a few air holes punched in the lid, makes a good terrarium. Also, you can help your kid create a habitat with soil, leaves, and stones so that the bugs will have hiding places. Crickets, beetles, and ladybugs are good candidates for observation. Although snails aren’t really an insect, they’ll cohabit peacefully with other bugs and are easy to find. On top of that, you might need a field guide for identification. There are many many good online sources of info such as insectidentification. Don’t forget to add a bit of vegetable or carrots to provide both food and water for the insects.
On the one hand, an ant farm is another great way for kids to study insects. They can see how intricate their homes are. And, how much effort the ants spend into hunting and building. Your child can watch the worker ants as they tunnel, notice when they eat, or find the queen in her separate quarters. And, if you want to bring it to the next level. Observing metamorphosis, the process by which a creature changes from one form to another is the best way to make your kid less afraid of caterpillars and worms. Start by purchasing a few mealworms from a pet store. Ask for the small ones and put them in a terrarium with some bran cereal, potato, or carrot. You’ll see they will go into a cocoon after a few days.
If you can stay calm around insects, especially bees or cockroaches. Then the chances are your child will learn to do the same. For example, if a bee is flying close to your kid. Gently explain that the bee is just being curious. And, if you wave your arms around and brush at the bee, it’s liable to sting because it’s threatened. However, we don’t recommend interacting with spiders because some of them are very dangerous. You still can explain spiders can be quite beneficial because they eat harmful insects.
Exposing your kid to the great outdoors can do a lot to help them get over their creepy-crawly jitters! Parents can also alleviate fears about insects and other creepy-crawlies by pointing out how important they are to the planet. And, without them, the ecosystem which we depend on will collapse. The insects share a planet with us! Always remind your kids that our homes are built on their homes. We hope these tips will help your kids get over their fear of bugs easier. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments!