Thumbprint Bugs Craft for Toddlers

If you’re looking for a fun craft for toddlers to learn about bugs and other garden animals, you’ve come to the right place!

This toddler or preschooler bugs craft can be done inside on a rainy day or outside in your backyard where the bugs are.

You’ll need to help your toddler with this craft, but they’ll learn about bugs as well as getting some fine motor practice.

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Toot is going though a phase where she is afraid of any and every bug. I get that spiders can be scary.

My husband is arachnophobia. But ladybugs and flies aren’t going to hurt you.

She runs to me screaming “a bug! a bug!” and sometimes doesn’t want to play outside because “there are bugs out there!”

Well, yeah. Bugs are everywhere!

So we’re doing this bug craft to learn more about the bugs that scare her.

My husband said learning more about spiders helps his fear. We’re trying the same thing with Toot and her fear of insects.

Books about bugs and garden animals to accompany this craft

There are so many books about bugs and spiders and snails that your toddler can read along with this craft. We are currently reading Some Bugs.

Reading and learning about bugs, spiders, and snails will make your craft a little more fun.

And you can even read a book to your toddler while they’re making their thumbprints.

Thumbprint Bugs Craft Supplies Needed:

1. Stamp pads like these
2. Ultra fine point pens or Sharpies like these
3. Paper – These Melissa and Doug paper pads are awesome.

Appropriate ages for this craft:

Your child will need to be at least one year old for this craft. One-year-olds will need help placing their thumbprints in the correct spot.

You will also need to draw the other parts.

Two-year-olds and up can practice putting their thumbs in the correct place but might still need guidance.

Preschoolers and school-age kids will also enjoy this bug craft and will be able to do it on their own.

Bee Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Make a vertical (up and down) yellow thumbprint.
2. Using your pointer finger make 4 fingerprint wings, two on each side.
3. Draw with a black Sharpie, a circle head on top of the yellow thumbprint.
4. Add two antennas to the top of the head. Add two eyes and a smile.
5. At the bottom of the thumbprint, make a small ‘V’ shaped stinger. Draw some black stripes on the thumbprint.

Also try this fun Hot Air Balloon Craft!

Butterfly Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Make two horizontal (sideways) thumbprints in the color of your choice. Above (or below) that make two more thumbprints.
2. Draw a long oval shape connecting all of the thumbprints together. This will be the butterfly’s body.
3. At the end of the oval, draw a circle. This will be the butterfly’s head. Make a set of two antennas on top of the head. Draw a smile face on your butterfly.

Caterpillar Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Make a vertical (up and down) thumbprint. This will be the caterpillar’s head.
2. Follow behind with several vertical thumbprints to make the caterpillar’s body.
3. Add two antenna to the first thumbprint. Draw two eyes and a smile on the first thumbprint. Make two feet on each of the body thumbprints.

Ladybug Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Begin with a red thumbprint.
2. Draw a black line across the thumbprint. Draw a vertical line off the first black line to form a ‘T’ shape.
3. Add two little eyes. Make a pair of antennas. On the ‘T’ shape area, draw and color in black dots.

Spider Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Make a horizontal (sideways) thumbprint in a gray or silver color. You can use black, but it is hard to draw on!
2. Draw 2 eyes and a smile.
3. Draw 8 spider legs, four on each side.
4. If you would like, draw a long line to make your spider ‘hang’ from it’s web.

I know, spiders are technically bugs. They’re arachnids. Bugs usually means 6 legs. Kids like spiders too.

Here are more spider crafts.

Snail Thumbprint Bugs Craft

1. Make a thumbprint – horizontal or vertical it doesn’t matter which.
2. Draw around the thumbprint, back down to form the tail and bring it up to make the long neck and head.
3. Add a pair of antenna. Draw eyes and a mouth.

Ok, I know snails aren’t really bugs, but they live in the garden too. They’re basically bugs.

Catch all of your bugs in a jar!

I have a free printable jar for your toddler to “catch” their bugs in. They can put them anywhere inside or outside of the jar.

The printable also has all of the instructions to make your thumbprint bugs.

Does your toddler like bugs crafts?

Let me know in the comments below!

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