Total Time Needed: 1 Hour
If being cooped up inside on a rainy day bugs you, try chasing away the blues with a collection of these little insects. The caterpillars, beetles, and dragonflies are a snap to make and great for sparking your kids' creativity.
Materials
- Wire (20 gauge)
- Ruler
- Wire cutters
- Multifaceted plastic beads (with diameters of 12 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm, and 4 mm)
- Needle-nose pliers
Instructions
- Bend an 18-inch length of wire in half. Use the pliers to curl up a 3/4-inch section near the bend to create the tip of the tail.
- From the other end, slide five 8 mm beads onto the doubled wire. Next, add two 12 mm beads followed by two more 8 mm beads and one last 12 mm bead.
- Thread a 4 mm bead onto the tip of each antenna. Then use the pliers to bend the tips (to keep the beads from sliding off) and curl the tops of the antennae.
- For legs, cut three 3-1/2-inch lengths of wire. Tightly wrap the center of each wire once around the body wire between beads and then shape the feet.