Build and Learn Playdough Insects Science Activity

It’s time for some hands-on bug fun with learning, creativity, and sensory play that preschoolers, kindergarteners, and even toddlers can enjoy together! As kids build their own insects with playdough and simple household materials, they’ll discover what makes an insect an insect by identifying the head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, antennae, and more.

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This open-ended STEM activity encourages creativity while reinforcing early science concepts through play. Whether you’re exploring bugs as part of a spring or summer theme, an insect unit, or simply following your child’s curiosity, this is a fun way to bring science to life.

Keep reading for our favorite playdough insect ideas, plus even more bug activities to continue the learning!

More Bug Activities for Kids

If your little scientists can’t get enough insects, here are even more bug-themed activities that combine science, creativity, and hands-on fun. They will love exploring a Bug or Not? Simple Sorting Tray, coloring a Butterfly Life Cycle Printable Craft, and making an Insects Lapbook.

 Playdough Insects Science Activity

 

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Things we Discussed:

Although we often call spiders, pill bugs, and centipedes “bugs”, they are not classified as insects.

 

The legs and wings are connected to the middle section of the insect, called the thorax.

 

Anennae help insects to smell things around them.

 

Compound eyes see several images in each eye, unlike our eye that only sees one image in each eye.

 

Insects are classified by having:

• 3 body parts (head, thorax, abdomen)
• 3 pairs of legs
• 1 pair of wings (optional)
• Compound eyes
• 1 pair of antennae
• Exoskeleton

Supplies:

Playdough (Here is our favorite homemade playdough recipe)

Cut up straws (legs)

Googly eyes

Cut up pipe cleaners (antennae)

Cut up foam craft sheets or thick paper (wings)

 

Directions:

 

Talk about each part of an insect, and create a playdough insect with the correct amount of body parts.

 

We started with the insects head, added eyes and antennae. Then we made the thorax and added legs and wings. Finally we made the abdomen to complete our insect. I think they turned out so cute! Once we made an insect together, the kids made their own.

I could see my daughter (age 4) count the amount of legs and antennae that she was adding to her play dough insect.

 

I gave my son (age 2) the correct amount of insect parts and he counted them (great one-to-one correspondence practice), then placed them on his playdough insect.

 

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