Buzzing with Fun: Paper Roll Bee Craft for Kids
Pair it with “Little Bee’s Day in the Garden” for a Sweet Storytime & Craft Combo!
Looking for a simple and cheerful craft that pairs perfectly with a garden-themed storytime? This Paper Roll Bee Craft is just the thing! It’s easy enough for preschoolers, but still engaging for early elementary ages too. Plus, it ties in beautifully with the book Little Bee’s Day in the Garden — a story about beeing brave and trying new things.
👉 Click here to read more or order your copy of Little Bee’s Day in the Garden
🐝 Why We Love This Craft:
- Uses basic supplies you probably already have
- Encourages creativity and fine motor skills
- Pairs perfectly with storytime
- Great for spring, summer, or garden-themed lessons
- Makes a sweet gift too, just add a weight to the bottom and fill with flower topped pens!
📚 Book Pairing: Little Bee’s Day in the Garden
Before (or after) your craft time, enjoy reading Little Bee’s Day in the Garden. Follow Little Bee as she buzzes through the garden meeting helpful friends and learning that the big wide world isn’t so scary after all. This sweet story opens the door for all kinds of discussions, form fear and being brave in all sorts of ways, to all the beautiful and strange creatures that we will find if we take a moment and look.
🐝 What You’ll Need:
- 1 piece of yellow 4 x 8 cardstock
- Template and printer
- Googly eyes
- Glue stick or liquid glue
- Scissors
- pipe cleaners for antennae
✂️ Instructions:
Step 1: Make the Body!
Roll the 4×8 yellow paper into a tube and glue together. Hold until glue sets.
Step 2: Add Stripes
Cut black paper into strips and glue them around the roll to make bee stripes. You can also draw them on with a marker.
Step 3: Make the Face
Glue on googly eyes and draw a smile! For younger kids, offer precut smiley mouth stickers or simple shapes they can glue on.
Step 4: Wings
Cut out template and glue to back of tube!
Step 5: Antennae (optional)
Bend two small pieces of pipe cleaner into antennae shapes and tape or glue them to the inside top of the roll.
🌱 Bonus: Make It with Recycled Materials!
Want to go green with your buzzing bee? Try these earth-friendly swaps:
- Body: Use a toilet paper roll or even a rolled-up scrap of cardboard.
- Yellow Paper: Color scrap paper with yellow crayon, marker, or watercolor instead of using new paper.
- Black Stripes: Cut strips from old magazines or newspaper and color them black.
- Wings: Use used coffee filters or cut shapes from junk mail or packaging paper.
- Eyes: Draw eyes on scrap paper and cut them out — no googly eyes needed!
- Antennae: Twist bits of packaging wire, bread ties, or even the corner of a cereal box!
This eco-friendly version is just as cute — and teaches kids the value of reusing what we already have. 🐝♻️
🖨️ Printable Template
Want to make it even easier? Download our free printable wings and stripes just click to join our newsletter below! Already subscribed? Just head over to the Free Resource Page, you’ll find the password in any email I send.
🌼 Extension Ideas:
- Talk about how bees help flowers grow by pollinating.
- Go on a backyard “pollinator hunt” after reading the book.
- Use this craft as a storytelling prop when rereading Little Bee’s Day in the Garden.
