Time: 45–60 minutes
Big Idea: Learn how honey bees live, work, and help make the food we eat.
What You’ll Need:
- A spoonful of honey (plus a cracker or bread to taste it)
- Milk (½ cup)
- Instant pudding mix (1 tsp)
- Small plastic cup
- Spoon or stir stick
- Whipped cream (optional)
- Paper and crayons/markers
- Scissors (optional)
- A quiet space for pretending and playing
Part 1. Taste and Talk
Do This:
Let your child taste a bit of honey on a cracker or bread.
Ask:
- What does honey taste like?
- Is it sweet? Sticky?
- Where do you think honey comes from?
- Have you ever seen a bee?
Part 2. Meet the Bee Family
Do This:
Explain that honey bees live in a big group called a colony. In every colony, there are:
- The Queen Bee – She lays all the eggs.
- Worker Bees – They clean the hive, take care of baby bees, and gather food.
- Drone Bees – Their only job is to help the queen make more bees.
Activity:
Draw three bees together with your child. Label them Queen, Worker, and Drone. Talk about how each type of bee has a special job that helps the hive.
Part 3. Make Honey Like a Bee
Let’s pretend to be bees and make “honey” using pudding mix and milk.
Steps:
- Pour about ½ cup of milk into a small cup to represent nectar.
- Add 1 teaspoon of pudding mix – this represents enzymes bees use to change nectar into honey.
- Stir with a spoon or stick for about 1 minute to represent the bees fanning their wings.
- Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes to thicken like honey.
- Add a small layer of whipped cream on top to represent how bees seal the honey in the hive.
Then taste your “honey” creation together.
Part 4. If I Were a Bee…
Ask:
- What would you do if you were a bee for a day?
- Where would you fly?
- What job would you do in the hive?
Activity:
Have your child draw a picture or write a few sentences titled “A Day in the Life of a Bee.”
Let them share their story or picture with you when finished.
Part 5. Wrap-Up Discussion
- What jobs do bees have?
- How do bees help flowers and food grow?
- What was your favorite part of the lesson?
