About Bumblebees - Games for Preschoolers and Schoolchildren
Last updated: 04/05/2021
Introduction
This set of games about bumblebees and for little bumblebees was prepared in April 2021 by the author of the blog In the honey mushrooms Petra. The blog's subtitle is „Play Ideas“ and I think that says it all.
The blog is full of ideas and games, not just about bumblebees. It's sure to inspire you. Petra is very creative and, together with her children, she brings a sea of amazing ideas to life. Although she teaches at a grammar school, not natural sciences, she knows how to entertain small children. She's full of ideas on how to educate them through play and impart useful information about nature. Her children help her with this and are her inspiration. The fact is, she's passionate about bumblebees. You'll soon find that out.
Petr, we've given some tips at the start and The life of a bumblebee family. As you can see for yourselves, you can create a wonderful, fun-filled day for everyone – parents and children alike. In fact, there will be more such days. It’s better to play the individual parts with the children on different days to keep their attention. Or should you get them excited and tell them what will happen next? That's up to you…
Thank you very much for your time and for preparing the games, text and photographs. It was an honour for us to play a small part in this. We are delighted to be able to share the result. The original is available Here.
The description of Petr's games is supplemented by a series of photographs, which we have deliberately not discussed, as they also serve as instructions for preparing the game.
On the blog At Meduňek You'll find lots of other ideas, you just need to make time.
You'll surely choose what suits you, what you dare to do, and play as bumblebees at home, at school, or in kindergarten. Let us know how you got on and attach a few photos from the event. Our address is info@cmelaciplus.cz
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Reading
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees
This article was created for the Čmeláci PLUS group.
In previous years, at the turn of March and April, we observed bees with the girls, but this year's colder days didn't favour the bees much. Fortunately, flowers aren't dependent on just one type of pollinator, so this year we saw the „heroes of our fields“ with our own eyes – bumblebees, who are definitely not afraid of a bit of cold.
While the market is almost saturated with children's books about bees (and even among beekeepers, you have to choose between Lumír, Josífek, and Mr. Beekeeper :-)), you're not really at risk of analysis paralysis when it comes to bumblebees.
As the most reliable source of information, I highly recommend the Čmelák PLUS website. Many thanks for the consultation and help go to Ondřej Hercog.
Therefore, if you find any errors in our article they are solely due to my inattentiveness. Because sometimes tiredness is greater than good advice from experts. 🙂
Let's take a look at how things are with the bumblebees.
Petra
The Queen thaws
At the beginning of everything, in a chamber underground, lies a frozen young queen with the superpower to survive freezing.
After winter, every surviving bumblebee queen must first thaw out. We help her with a hammer, but you can also use gentler methods – perhaps leave one queen in the sunshine, help another with salt, hide a third in a fur coat, or immerse a fourth in a warm bath.
Observe, compare, evaluate. How will it entertain children.
About Bumblebees – The Queen Thaws
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – The Queen Thaws
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – The Queen Thaws
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – The Queen Thaws
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
To create a Frozen Queen, we used the yellow insert from Kinder eggs. We stuffed this into an inflatable balloon, carefully filled it with water (hold the balloon firmly to the tap and preferably use a small stream of water). Then all you have to do is tie a knot and leave it in the freezer (ours took about five days).
And what will a proper queen do first when she emerges from her chamber after winter? She'll tidy herself up, of course, to be a lady.
About bumblebees – The queen grooms herself
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – The queen grooms herself
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – The queen grooms herself
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
We'll also spruce up the bumblebees that we helped to thaw.
About bumblebees – we'll also adjust the humblebees
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – we'll also adjust the humblebees
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
And now, quickly, let's find some treats to replenish our strength after winter. We're exploring which little flowers look most appetising through the blue filter (that's supposedly how bumblebees see).
About bumblebees – Replenishing forces after winter
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Replenishing forces after winter
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
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The great quest
Flying low to the ground and exploring the surroundings – a young queen is searching for the most suitable place to live.
We explored various locations in the vicinity and brainstormed why they are or aren't suitable for establishing a bumblebee habitat. Is the location well-covered from overheating? Is there nesting material available (feathers, fur, etc.)? Is it not too exposed?
Ideally, it would be some abandoned mouse-hole underground, but we wouldn't turn our noses up at an old birdhouse in the shade. Well, perhaps it's not entirely abandoned.
About bumblebees – The Great Search
Photo_Blog "U Meduněk" 4/2021
Bumblebee raises its front legs, showing its sting as a sign that it's determined to fight. After a difficult battle, it is victorious.
Bumblebees – The Nest Site Battle
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebees – The Nest Site Battle
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Nest
The construction of a great WORK is beginning.
On bumblebees – Building the nest
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Cover the floor with wax. Make the first small jug for supplies. And a feather bed for the eggs.
On bumblebees – Building the nest
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
On bumblebees – Building the nest
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Now we just need to fill the little house with nectar and pollen supplies, so the first bumblebee babies have something to grow from.
Nectar – we collect the juice with our tongues – using a straw, and transfer it to the prepared jugs. We've brought them a bit closer, because it's not as easy as it might seem.
About Bumblebees – Nectar Stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Nectar Stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Nectar Stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees c - Nectar stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Pyl – we collect pollen into little baskets on our hind legs – dried pollen stuck to our socks. Then we fly with it to the nest, where we fill our little pots.
In the event of a lack of pompoms, we will use yellow lentils and scoop mechanisms that are at hand.
About bumblebees – Pollen stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Pollen stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Sometimes pollen needs to be carried from afar. Who can do it faster?
About bumblebees – Pollen stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Pollen stores
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee development
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
The first generation of responsible workers hatches first, and the queen nurtures them herself.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
And then they help the younger sisters hatch and take care of them. With bumblebees, work duties are not divided by age as they are with bees, but everyone more or less does what is needed at the time.
If you wanted to try out individual „professions,“ you could find inspiration in in a bee article.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
And finally, the bumblebee boys will also appear in the summer.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Preparing cocoons is worthwhile…
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
He'll strengthen himself from reserves...
About bumblebees – Bumblebee development
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
And then the bumblebees fly in and out and in and out. The main thing is to hit the entrance.
About bumblebees – little bumblebees are flying
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – little bumblebees are flying
Photo: Blog U Meduněk
They won't forget to map out their flight path. It helps them mark their way with signs – for children and bumblebees in nature.
Our children like to create „ballet“ trails – they walk along a drawn line and have agreed-upon signs for twirling, jumping, hopping on one foot, etc.
About bumblebees – bumblebee trails
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – bumblebee trails
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
At the end of the entire bumblebee cycle, the tired old queen staggers out of the nest and dies dramatically.
These theatre studies are unpublishable, but if the children are keen, feel free to embark on them.
Bumblebee anatomy
We examined and counted parts of the bumblebee's body. You can use your own or prepared materials.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee anatomy
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
An additional set can be used for older children. The children will assemble the correct names for the bumblebee's body themselves.
You can use the attached file, it is intended for non-commercial use only.
Bumblebee anatomy
Source: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
We have prepared a file with counting images for you to count.
Count, mark with pegs, arrange them in ascending order – there are no limits to your imagination, the only limit is your children's age.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee counting
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee counting
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
We assembled the bumblebee bodies from various materials.
About bumblebees – Building bumblebee houses
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Building bumblebee houses
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Building bumblebee houses
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Building bumblebee houses
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee learning or rather playing?
You can start at home. Don't be afraid to make use of nature books you already have, or to acquire some.
You can also use the prompts from the Bumblebees PLUS section Bumblebees PLUS at school, for example, bumblebee colouring pages by Jana Lörinczová.
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Learning
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Learning
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
And what if it's nice outside?
We've hidden a few ladybirds around the garden – each one has a secret word hidden inside it.
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
The ladybirds need to be found, flown to the destination with them, and it needs to be discovered what they are hiding.
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
School children can write down the revealed words and the little schoolchildren can assemble them according to the instructions.
In conclusion, the children explain what the words mean.
We have also hidden examples for calculation within some of the bumblebees.
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
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About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Hide-and-Seek
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee maze
About bumblebees – Bumblebee maze
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee maze
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee maze
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee maze
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee exercise
We did a meadow yoga sequence. We buzzed and stretched thoroughly during it.
On bumblebees – bumblebee exercises
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee creations
We a bit got our hands dirty with paints, like bumblebees on a blooming meadow with colourful pollen.
You can easily make bumblebee stamps from raw potatoes or toilet paper rolls.
About bumblebees - Bumblebee crafts
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees - Bumblebee crafts
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees - Bumblebee crafts
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees - Bumblebee crafts
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee Gallery – or types of bumblebees. Children choose which bumblebees they like and colour them in on a template.
We will supply frames, descriptions, a nice spot in the garden and we can exhibit.
About bumblebees – Bumblebee gallery
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
The best-known bumblebee species are the earth bumblebee, garden bumblebee, field bumblebee, rock bumblebee, sea buckthorn bumblebee, happy honey bumblebee, and rainbow bumblebee. 😉
About bumblebees – The bumblebee gallery – The buff-tailed bumblebee
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Gallery – Common carder bee
(Bombus pascuorum)
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee gallery – Orange-tailed bumblebee and tree bumblebee
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Bumblebee gallery – Orchid bee
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee helpers
Even a little help counts.
How can children help bumblebees? Actually, in any way. How about Producing a water dispenser?
Care for bumblebee food sources also counts. For further ideas, explore the websites directly. Bumblebee PLUS.
About bumblebees – Helping bumblebees
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About bumblebees – Helping bumblebees
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee reading and crooning
We read "Aninka the Bumblebee" as the only children's book purely about bumblebees.
They looked through many bee and insect books, where bumblebees appeared at least for a while.
Bumble Busbee is quite popular here, so we remembered a chapter dedicated to the bumblebee queen.
And we watched The Adventures of Little Bee and sang songs from it.
Hopefully, there will be more children's books about bumblebees too…
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Reading
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Reading
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Reading
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
About Bumblebees – Bumblebee Reading
Photo: U Meduněk Blog 4/2021
Bumblebee watching
Don't forget to watch bumblebee films together.
You can also visit Bee TV YouTube Bees PLUS, where you'll find a range of amateur videos of bumblebee life.
Thank you
Special thanks for this article go to both Meduňka and Medvídek for their amazing cooperation and enthusiasm with which they tackled the bumblebee games. Although this topic didn't arise from their interest, but I suggested it to them myself.
We wish you lovely bee play!
Petruškov, Lemon Balm and Bear Cub for Bees PLUS