Only the best for our bugs!

It's turning out to be a gorgeous spring here in Virginia! The weekend was perfect for outdoor play, so while A napped, E and I went into the back yard to make garden homes for her rubber bugs. (I'm afraid all real bugs were quickly evicted.) Yes, Tinkerbell somehow got wind of the new condos and - Tink being Tink - made herself right at home.

Making the bug/fairy houses was easy and fun. While I gathered paper lunch bags, scissors, and glue, E walked around the yard and collected flowers, leaves, and berries to decorate the houses.

I rolled back the openings of the bags, tearing and shaping until I was happy with the look. Then E and I glued on the natural materials to finish our houses. When they were dry, we asked the new tenants to move in!

The bugs seemed rather pleased with their new digs.

Tink said the neighbors left much to be desired, but she guessed she'd stay.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Bob Barner


The inspiration behind buying the rubber bugs for the girls (a Target dollar spot find, btw) was this darling book. I'm not entirely sure why I am so taken with this book. Perhaps because it is simple and yet infectiously enthusiastic. Every page celebrates bugs with short descriptions very young children will be able to sit through and enjoy. The illustrations are gorgeous mixed media artwork, creating humorous goofy buggy creatures on every page. By the end of the book you, too, want to run outside to see these wacky, wonderful bugs! The back of the book includes life-sized illustrations of the eight featured insects as well as a "bug-o-meter" chart that contrasts and compares their basic features.

Yes, I know a fairy book would probably have gone better with the craft (hey, how was I to know Tink was going to weasel her way in?), but I love this book and honestly don't  know of any non-commercial (aka non-Disney/Barbie) fairy books worth reading. I'd love to hear your suggestions!