Kindergarten Elementary
ScienceFile Folder GamesPrintables
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Children are naturally curious. They love to explore the world around them and one way to encourage that curiosity is through science. Teaching them about their environments and the creatures that inhabit it is a great way to spark their interest.
Teaching them about plant and animal life cycles is a fantastic starting point for that. Elementary-aged children are naturally observant of their environmental surroundings and are quick to notice when they see things like ladybugs and butterflies so providing a science lesson that teaches them about the life cycle of these is a natural way to help them connect with nature and enjoy the world around them.
Today’s ladybug life cycle file folder game is the perfect starting point for your next nature study!
Whether this is the first life cycle that you’re introducing your child to or they’re life cycle pros at this point, this file folder game is a fun and easy way to learn the various stages that a ladybug must go through in order to make it to adulthood.
Ladybug Life Cycle
To make this game, you’ll need to first attach the included cover. Use a single sheet of clear contact paper and lay it over the top of the cover to attach it to the front of your folder.
To build the game on the inside, cut out each of the pieces that are included within the download.
Both the included picture cards and the stage labels should be laminated for durability.
By laminating both sets of cards, you’ll actually have three ways to use this game to practice the stages of the ladybug life cycle.
But first, attach the arrows as shown above to the inside of your folder using some more contact paper.
When your pieces are cut and laminated, attach two Velcro dots to the inside of your folder for each stage of the life cycle. So, eight Velcro dots in total.
Stick them to the inside of your folder in a way that the picture card, when attached, will be able to sit directly above the label once it is also attached.
Now, you have the option of simply giving your child the blank folder and asking them to put all of the stages and labels in the correct order. If they are older or have studied life cycles for a longer period of time, this would be perfect for some extra practice.
If they are younger or have just started learning about life cycles, you can either place the picture cards in the correct places or the labels and have them fill in the gaps based on whatever information you included.
Either way, it’s a fun and easy way to learn about the various stages of the life cycle of a ladybug!
