Summer | Water: Pre-K-Kindergarten

Thirsty Bees & Butterflies: Creating Watering Spots for Pollinators

Summary: Pollinating is hard work. But so is trying to stay afloat in a big pool of water when you’re just a little bee. Students will have the opportunity to create small watering spots for our hard-working pollinators, some of our most important garden creatures. 

Pre-Visit Planning: 

In the Garden: 

Pollinators are some of the hardest workers in the garden. Without pollinators, we don’t have plants. Doing their job can make them quite thirsty!

Questions to Explore:

-Do you see any butterflies in the garden? 

-Can you hear any bees?

-Bees and butterflies like bright colors. Do you see any colors in the garden? 

They also need to drink water. Do you see any spots for them to get water?

Activity:

It is hard for pollinators to drink out of big watering spots like pools, lakes, and rivers. Our job today is to find a way for them to stay hydrated in our garden. 

  • Can you think of a way we could make a watering spot for pollinators using a pie plate and rocks? 
  • Place the pie plate in a spot near some flowers, pour in the rocks, and add some water. Keep a sharp eye; perhaps you’ll see some pollinators taking a break!

Beyond the Garden | Preparing for Pollinators

Talk to your garden manager or local nursery about making your yard friendlier for butterflies and bees. Add a watering spot, some flowers, maybe even a feeder. Use the resources below to find out more information about pollinators. 

Continue Exploring | Supporting Materials


Note for Parents:
Each lesson suggests you explore a piece of artwork and read a specific book with your child. The artwork and books are easily available for view with an online search. However, these suggestions are not necessary to complete the lessons.

Guiding Principles

1

Learning, though not always visible, is always happening. The lessons are designed using inquiry as a base. Rather than “right answers” be more concerned with asking good questions.

2

Things may not go as planned. The lessons are designed to be used in whatever way works best for you. You can use all of the lesson or just pull a piece out of it.

3

Planting and cultivating a garden is believing in possibility. The lessons are designed to generate excitement about the future.

4

Each lesson includes a way to take the learning out into the community for more learning and more connection.

5

When a young child’s innate curiosity is unleashed in a garden the possibilities are endless. Any topic is open for exploration.

6

You will get dirty. There will be bugs.