Our Bug Hotel Built by the Little Ones at Tops Wareham!

At Tops Wareham, we constantly find creative ways to bring learning to life and get our children outdoors. Our recent bug hotel building activity at Carey Hall was a huge success!

Meanwhile, the children embraced their inner nature lovers and got stuck into building a special home for all sorts of garden bugs and mini beasts. Armed with wooden pallets, twigs, sticks, leaves, and a bucket-load of curiosity, they constructed a bug hotel from scratch, designed to offer shelter to insects like ladybirds, woodlice, beetles, and bees.

Mia Hawkins from Tops Wareham shared her thoughts on the experience, saying,

“We went to our local hall and used wooden crates to build a bug hotel.  We learnt about different bugs and used our imaginations to discuss what bugs might live in there.  The little ones explored the different areas bugs might inhabit and used a nature book to help identify the wildlife they discovered. These activities spark curiosity about the world around us and actively develop problem-solving skills and imagination.  At Tops Wareham, we use the natural world to promote learning and development, providing the children with opportunities to go on Trips in the local community, Forest school, and lots of garden activities.”

What the Children Learned While Building the Bug Hotel:

This hands-on activity was about much more than just building. It gave the children the chance to:

• Learn about different types of insects and their habitats
• Understand the importance of biodiversity and protecting wildlife
• Work as a team and use their problem-solving skills
• Enjoy the benefits of being active in nature

The children particularly enjoyed choosing natural materials to fill the spaces in the pallets, creating little hidey-holes and warm nesting spots. Moreover, as they layered sticks and leaves, they were full of questions about where bugs live, what they eat, and how they help the environment.

At Tops, sustainability and outdoor learning are core to what we do. Activities like this one are a brilliant way to support the Early Years curriculum while encouraging a deep love of the natural world. We’re so proud of how engaged the children were and can’t wait to revisit the bug hotel over the coming weeks to see if any little guests have checked in!