10 fun bee-themed activities for kids

Vicki Manning
Apr 10
4 min read

We love watching bumblebees as they move from flower to flower in our garden, and it's always exciting when we spot the first one to emerge in Spring.

Bees are amazing, not only do they make us delicious honey, but they are the tiny engineers keeping our planet's engine running - they are responsible for a third of all food we eat!

Exploring pollinators isn't just a science lesson, it's a way to turn natural curiosity into a lifelong respect for the work bees do for us.

Yellow and white graphic listing 10 fun facts about bees, including facts about sight, communication, and pollination. Hexagonal pattern.

I'm going to share with you some of the ways we have explored the subject of bees, in a creative and playful way; Simple activities to understand the science behind bees and creative crafts that celebrate our fuzzy friends.

So whether you’re looking to get your hands dirty in the garden, or get crafty at the kitchen table, we’ve got you covered.

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10 x fun bee activities for kids...

Here are the 10 bee activities for kids that will have your child buzzing with excitement...

Child's hand near yellow hexagons resembling honeycomb, toy bee, and bowl with corn and spoon on white surface.

1 . Pollen transfer

This is a fun way to learn about transferring pollen as well as develop fine motor skills.

You will need:

Toilet roll inners
Scissors
Yellow paint
Corn kernels
Tweezers or scoops (whatever your child can handle)

Chop up each of your toilet roll inners into several rings of equal size, paint them yellow and then pinch six corners into each of them to make hexagons.

Pop them together to create your 'hive' and then invite your child to transfer the 'pollen' corn kernels.

2 . Pipe cleaner bees

A super simple craft which is perfect for small world play...

You will need:

Yellow and black pipe cleaners cut in half
White felt
Scissors
PVA glue

Grab one yellow pipe cleaner and one black pipe cleaner and hold them together. Carefully twist them round a pencil to create your bee bodies, then pinch the ends together to secure.

Cut out some little white teardrop shapes from your felt, then glue them on to create wings.

Your child will love flying these teeny critters around!

Two bee sculptures made of yellow clay with black parts, red antennae, and black thread details on a light blue surface.

3 . Playdough and loose part bees

Make your own bees using yellow playdough and some crafty bits from around the home.

You will need:

Yellow playdough (see our playdough recipe here if you want to make your own)
Black and yellow crafty bits such as beads, wool and pipe cleaners

Let you imaginations run wild as you use your playdough to create black and yellow stripes, wings, heads and maybe even eyes.

4 . 'Pollen' sensory tray

Polenta (cornmeal) makes a great pretend pollen - its texture makes it perfect for practicing pre-writing skills and it is taste-safe so ideal for little ones.

For a fun pollen-themed invitation, just pour some polenta into a high sided tray, add some tools such as scoops, spoons and funnels, and invite your child to play.

A black bowl with water, stones, and twigs is surrounded by bright green and yellow leafy plants.

5 . Bee drinking station

Give thirsty bees somewhere to rest with this bee-friendly drinking station.

You will need:

Clean recycled bowl or tub (we used one from a ready meal)
Small sticks
Stones
Water

Place the sticks and stones in the bowl and fill with water just up to their level.

Pop it somewhere sunny and near bee-friendly plants. Replace water after a few days to prevent mosquitoes.

A wooden bee figure with a smiling face, black and yellow stripes, and white wings sits on pink flowers.

6 . Peg doll bees

A gorgeous craft for older children.

You will need:

Small wooden peg doll
Black and yellow acrylic paint pens
White felt
Scissors
PVA glue

Use your paint to give your bee its features, cut out some felt wings and glue them on the back - see the full tutorial here: Peg doll bug craft

Yellow beeswax candles and a honeycomb sheet on a wooden surface.

7 . DIY beeswax candles

Making your own beeswax candles from sheets is so easy, and the smell is gorgeous!

We use this kit - Wachsmann Candle kit - to make ours.

We start by lying the wick along the short edge, and use our thumbs to carefully warm the edge of the wax and smooth it over the top.

It's then a matter of slowly and firmly rolling your sheet into a cylinder. When done you use your thumbs again to warm and smooth the edge to seal the candle.

If you want to, you can even decorate your candles using a coloured wax kit.

Craft bee made from a yellow and black striped toilet paper roll with googly eyes and paper wings against a light blue background.

8 . Cardboard bees

A really simple craft; if you pre-cut the wings and antennae it is simple enough for toddlers!

You will need:

Toilet roll inner
White card
Black card
Yellow and black paint
Googly eyes
Scissors
PVA glue / Pritt Stick

Paint your toilet roll yellow, leave to dry then add some black stripes.

Use your glue to add some googly eyes.

Fold a piece of white card in half and cut a teardrop shape, leaving a small section in the middle joined. Glue this onto the back to make your bee's wings.

Finish with a couple of black strips of card stuck to the inside of the tube above the eyes.

9 . Bee colouring pages

Download these free colouring pages for some quiet creative time!

Bees gather nectar from vibrant purple crocus flowers with yellow centres in a sunny garden.

10 . Pollinator plants

If you have some outdoor space, even if it's only a couple of pots on a windowsill, adding some bee-friendly plants is a lovely way to attract our furry friends so you can view them up close and personal.

Did you know in the UK alone their are over 270 species of bee?

Here are some ideas for bee-friendly plants by season:

SPRING

Wallflower

Muscari

Forget-me-not

Rosemary

SUMMER

Cosmos

Lavender

Salvia

Chives