Make your own bug magnets

One of the fun things about having older children and a younger child is that I’m getting to revisit all those fun preschool crafts that I did with my older ones. For Christmas my children make their gifts to give to extended family and this year Esther made bug magnets.

To make the bug magnets you just need plaster of paris, plastic spoons, paints, markers, round magnets and glue (I used a hot glue gun).

Mix the plaster of paris according to the package directions. I just use a disposable cup for this. It completely sets up (gets hard) in about 30 minutes so don’t make too much at a time. You can see in the photo above that some of the plaster was pretty wet when we put it on the spoons and then some was already starting to dry. The ones that we did first we put a paint stirrer under the handle of the spoons to raise them up so the plaster wouldn’t run off the spoon.

When they’re all set up, take the plaster out of the soon. I used a little sandpaper and we smoothed out some of them.

Next, paint them like bugs or bettles. Here Esther is used a combination of watercolors and acrylic paints. You can also use markers.

When the paint is dry, hot glue a round magnet to the bottom of the bug.

This is a great activity for a younger child. It’s relatively quick but it’s also something that can be started and stopped and then started again.

Have fun!

This post is shared at Barn Hop, Mostly Handmade Monday,Backyard Farming Connection, Tuesday Greens, What I Learned Wednesday, Creativity Unleased,