![[Childcare] Kids' Favorite! Making Pill Bugs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/7mit7igXDKM/maxresdefault.webp)
[Childcare] Kids' Favorite! Making Pill Bugs
Do you all know what pill bugs like to eat?
It seems they love lettuce, strawberries, and mushrooms.
On the other hand, they don’t like the smell of coffee and tend to stay away from it.
This time, we’ll introduce a craft project to make pill bugs.
Try making a cute little pill bug using newspaper, paper plates, or origami.
It’s also a great idea to get into character and do the “Pill Bug Exercise” before crafting to get your body moving.
Get creative and make it a fun activity time!
[Childcare] Kids’ Favorite! Making Pill Bugs (1–10)
Pill bugs made from toilet paper rolls
This craft combines parts made from toilet paper tubes to faithfully recreate a three-dimensional look and even a smooth rolling motion.
First, attach the template to the tube and use it as a guide to cut out each part.
Then, glue the small cut pieces onto their designated spots and shape everything to finish.
The original roundness of the tube affects the roundness of the final piece, so try to cut without deforming it as much as possible.
If you plan to add color, it’s best to paint the parts before assembly to avoid unevenness.
[Ages 1 and up] Make pill bugs with paper plates
![[Ages 1 and up] Make pill bugs with paper plates](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9GXsYB2-r88/sddefault.jpg)
One of the pill bug’s biggest charms is how it curls up into a ball when touched, isn’t it? This project recreates that curling behavior by using the curve of a paper plate.
The basic idea is to draw the pattern on a paper plate, then paint it black with poster paint.
After that, cut it and combine the face and leg parts.
If you cut it in half, it looks like a walking pill bug; if you cut it into about six sections and fasten them with a pin, you can make a pill bug that curls up.
It’s a craft that lets you really experience a pill bug not only in appearance but also in movement.
[Ages 5 and up] Draw pill bugs and play a paper-plate theater game
![[Ages 5 and up] Draw pill bugs and play a paper-plate theater game](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/07SdaTvwnWU/sddefault.jpg)
This is a paper-plate theater where you can enjoy watching the picture change, focusing on the transformation of a pill bug.
The shared round shape of the paper plate and the curled-up pill bug is also a noteworthy point.
First, draw illustrations of the “before” and “after” states on two paper plates, make slits, and stack them.
Then, gradually reveal the back plate through the slit to change the image.
You could show the pill bug changing between a curled-up state and an open state, or it could be fun to have a different related creature appear instead.
Pill bugs made out of newspaper
The rounded back is a major characteristic of pill bugs, so let’s recreate this point by crumpling newspaper.
First, crumple the newspaper to form the shape of a pill bug: create a firm roundness where it will be visible, while flattening the bottom so it stays stable.
Next, use origami paper to reproduce features like the pill bug’s segmented ridges, and attach it so that it wraps around the crumpled newspaper—then you’re done.
Simply reproducing the appearance is fine, but it’s also recommended to attach a thin thread so you can make it move.
[Ages 5 and up] Making a Home for Pill Bugs
![[Ages 5 and up] Making a Home for Pill Bugs](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HUTbHIEmW_M/sddefault.jpg)
This activity involves imagining the kinds of places pill bugs live and creating a comfortable home for them.
As you learn about suitable environments and food, it can also help with observing and capturing pill bugs in nature.
If raising real pill bugs feels too challenging, try making a diorama using pill bug motifs to show the types of places they inhabit.
Using natural materials will increase realism, and it’s also fun to challenge yourself to see how comfortable an environment you can create using familiar, everyday items.
Surprised Pill Bug
A pill bug made from papercraft: the key point is its mechanism that curls into a ball when you gently press it with your finger and then release.
It’s also impressively easy to make—just cut out the pre-designed shapes and assemble them.
The part you stick on the inside of the back is crucial for making it curl, so pay special attention to cutting this piece and be sure to attach it securely.
The intricate mechanism is hidden from view, which also makes it fun that you can customize the appearance in your own way.
Pill Bug Maze
It’s a simple maze made by attaching cardboard walls onto a backing board—an experiment to see if a real pill bug can make it to the goal.
It’s a tool for observing the pill bug’s habit of turning left after turning right, but just watching the little creature steadily make its way forward can be enjoyable on its own.
If you’re hesitant to use a real one, another recommended approach is to design the maze carefully and have participants navigate it with small pill bug motifs instead.
By paying attention to the maze’s decorations, you may help participants focus more and enjoy it even further.