Easy bug and bee hotel for kids

What do you get if you combine school children, bee hotels, recycling and outdoor fun? The children at Woodingdean Primary school in Brighton have been busy finding out.
  Published:  15 Aug 2017    |      1 minute read

The Friends of the Earth Bee Saver Kit is the ideal fun gift for friends, family, or yourself. Plus, it helps bees at the same time.

Along with teachers the pupils got together to make two giant bug and bee hotels.

Woodingdean Primary School - child making bug hotel
Credit: Woodingdean Primary School

Stacked up wooden pallets make an ideal start for a bug and bee hotel. The school's gardening group will soon plant mini meadows on top of the bug hotels – made from wooden planters filled with soil and wildflower seeds.

Woodingdean Primary School - child making bug hotel
Credit: Woodingdean Primary School

As part of this nature activity the children used sticks, hay, bamboo canes and recycled plant pots to fill the gaps between the pallets.

Woodingdean Primary School - child making bug hotel
Credit: Woodingdean Primary School

Even the teachers got in on the action. They helped fill up dishes with water to make sure the bugs and bees have something to drink.

It was wonderful for the children to be so focused on what they could do to encourage bugs on to our school grounds - and how important bugs are to us. The children had great fun creating the bug hotel and they learned a lot in the process.
Emma Power, teacher , Woodingdean Primary school

Woodingdean Primary School - making bug hotels
Credit: Woodingdean Primary School

The children were excited to see bugs flying and crawling around as they were hard at work.

I loved making the the bug hotel. I spotted a spider, a snail and a woodlouse.
Oliver - pupil at Woodingdean Primary school

Woodingdean Primary School - child making bug hotel
Credit: Woodingdean Primary School

More ways to help bees and bugs

There are plenty of ways to help insects and wildlife. Try some of these ideas: