What about smash bugs?

Another easy-going, happy day with the Twos. We made zillions of smash bugs - and the children really loved it.

For prep, I cut regular photocopy paper into small squares (3"x3"?) and gave each child three colors of paint plus some q-tips for making dots. They dot the paper three times (I usually intervene and say, "time to smash!" before they make that fourth dot) and we fold the paper and press down; open up - voila! bug!

It's also fun to say - "One - head; Two -thorax; Three - abdomen"...and teach them about those bug body parts as they work.

There is something about working so small that is addictive...one student made more than thirty bugs.

With one child, I "let the mountain come to Mohammed," as they say. He insisted he wasn't interested, so I sat down on the rug with him, by his trains, and said, "hey, watch this - head, thorax, abdomen" and I made three dots, and invited him to help me squeeze the paper. He was thrilled and had to try it himself. He, too, made many "scary" bugs.

Simple, but delightful.