Insects are fascinating and can capture kids’ attention with their interesting bodies, movements, and behavior. Kids can learn about insects by keeping some as pets and watching them grow. There are many simple insect kits for kids that allow kids to do just that!
Kids learn through real experiences, by touching, moving, observing, and doing. Live bugs provide those experiences for kids.
An insect kit for kids can teach:
- what bugs look like
- what different bugs do
- what bugs eat
- about the life cycle of various insects
- how to care for pets
- to make observations
We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Insect Kits for Kids
If you have a kiddo who loves bugs, then these insect kits are for you! They each include an enclosure and critters to go inside. Pair with a magnifying glass to allow for up-close observations.
Note: you’ll have to pay the shipping cost when using a voucher to redeem “free” insects. The price can be as much as $10, so factor this into your decision-making when looking at the cost.
- Protip: Track your shipments carefully! You don’t want any of your new critters to die because they spent too much time in a hot mailbox or sitting out in the snow. Make sure to bring them inside when they arrive and get them situated as soon as possible.
Included: ant enclosure, sand, tube for connecting enclosures, ant watchers guide, a voucher for ants
There are more than 12,000 species of ants. You’ve probably had some crawling around your house but never saw them as pets.
An ant farm gives you a place to house and observe them. It’s designed with a clear plastic viewing window to allow kids to see what the ants are up to underground. Day after day, kids can come back and see the work that the ants have done. It is fun to watch as new tunnels slowly progress.
We love the Uncle Milton ant farm because of its many features.
This kit comes with tunneling sand and a voucher that you can use to order ants when you’re ready. Holes on the side of the farm allow multiple ant farms to be connected. The 12-inch viewing window offers a large area for kids to watch the ants work away. It is simple to feed and water the ants using the sliding feeding cap on the top of the enclosure.
What kid doesn’t love digging up and watching worms?
The worm farm is a fun way for kids to observe worms in action and learn about soil and composting. The kit is shipped with everything you need to get started, even your new worm pets! It comes with bright green sand that you can add to learn about soil mixing and also includes grass seeds, a water dropper, coconut fiber pellets, and a small magnifying glass.
The clear plastic enclosure allows for easy viewing of the worms. Worms like the dark, so you can use the enclosed light blocker to keep them in the dark when not making observations.
You must provide about a cup of dirt from your yard.
Includes: Enclosure, chia seeds, substrate, a mail-in voucher for 10 roly-polies
Did you know that roly-polies can live up to 2 years and that there are many different varieties? They’re one little critter that all kids love. We remember spending our summers collecting and watching them in childhood.
This roly-poly kit offers an ideal home for keeping roly-polies as pets. It provides the space and everything you need to know to keep them alive.
In this small enclosure, kids can house up to 250 roly-polies and grow the included chia seeds. These plants become the food source for your critters. The chia seeds begin to grow a few days after being placed into the enclosure.
The kit includes a voucher to send in for 10 roly-polies (though you will be charged $10 in shipping), or you can collect some from your yard. They quickly reproduce to fill the enclosure.
You can purchase additional types of roly-polies from the company. Kids enjoy seeing the variations among the varieties.
The included directions are simple to follow, and the setup is easy.
Included: pop up butterfly encloser, 4 life cycle toys, dropper, a voucher for 5 caterpillars, caterpillar food
It’s fascinating to watch a caterpillar transform into a butterfly. We love using butterfly kits in our preschool classrooms.
This insect kit for kids allows them to watch the life cycle of a butterfly firsthand. You can redeem 5 baby caterpillars using the included voucher.
Kids will observe the caterpillars eating, building a chrysalis, and then see them emerge as butterflies. Four life cycle toys are also included to further teach kids about a butterfly’s life.
The pop-up butterfly enclosure is extra large but folds down when not being used. You can release butterflies a few days after emerging from their chrysalises, and you can store supplies away until you’re ready to order more caterpillars.
Did you know that ladybugs are beetles and not bugs at all? Most kids find ladybugs pretty cute and easy to observe due to their bright red coloring.
This kit allows kids to raise ladybugs from larvae and then release them to do some good work in your garden.
The included ladybug enclosure has a clear dome for viewing the larvae as they grow and develop. Kids will observe their entire life cycle. The company guarantees that at least 5 larvae will develop into adult ladybugs.
Care of ladybugs is extra simple. The volcano acts as a water reservoir in the middle of the enclosure and is filled using the included dropper. Food is provided, but keep it from getting wet as this can cause it to mold.
After a few weeks, you can release adult ladybugs outside, and new larvae can be purchased whenever you’d like to grow some more.
Included: tank, aqua dragon eggs, food, feeding spoon, pipette, LED light, magnifying glass
Yes, we know, aqua dragons aren’t insects, but they’re still pretty darn cool. Did you know that an aqua dragon has 3 eyes? Dry aqua dragon eggs can last for years and are ready to hatch whenever they’re added to water.
With this kit, kids have everything they need to raise aqua dragons from eggs. The eggs are included with your order and begin hatching within 48 hours. They start off very tiny but grow bigger with each day. They can grow as big as 2 cm long and quickly start to reproduce.
It is simple to care for aqua dragons. Kids can oxygenate the water using the included pipette and feed them every 3 to 5 days. It is important not to overfeed them as this can kill them.
Final Thoughts on Insect Kits for Kids
Insect kits for kids are a fun and interactive way to learn about the bugs they love. Kits work well at home and in classrooms and can be restocked with insects as needed.
Kids can also collect and observe bugs from your backyard using a bug catcher and a bug net. Make sure to help kids research what each bug needs to live comfortably or release them back to where they were found.
What are your kids’ favorite bugs?
No Comments