Bee Movie: Educational Activities and Games for 2 to 5 Year Olds

Let's face it, kids love movies, but it's been proven that they should watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day. So why not combine their love of a movie and activities that will help them learn and grow? Following are suggestions for Bee Movie released in 2007. These activities would also work well for preschool classes and party games for this age group.

Watch the movie

Let your kids watch the show while you prepare the activities for the rest of the day or attend to other responsibilities.

Learn About the Letter B

Get out a piece of paper and draw a big "B" on it. Help your child trace the letter. If your child is younger let them color in the letter. If you have an older child ask them to draw pictures of things that begin with the letter "B", like a ball, balloon, bee, birthday cake etc.

Rhymes and Activities

Teach your child the following rhyme. They'll enjoy the repetition and they'll be learning about the months.

A swarm of bees in May

Is worth a load of hay.

A swarm of bees in June

Is worth a silver spoon.

A swarm of bees in July

Isn't worth a fly.

Another fun activity is to teach your child the Baby Bumblebee song:

I caught myself a baby bumblebee (pretend to hold something in your hand)

Won't my mommy be so proud of me? (point to yourself)

I caught myself a baby bumblebee,

Ouch! He stung me! (shake your hand like it got hurt)

I'm talking to my baby bumblebee, (pretend to talk to something in your hand)

Won't my mommy be so proud of me? (point to yourself)

I'm talking to my baby bumblebee,

"Oh" he said, "I'm sorry."

I'm letting go my baby bumblebee, (open up your hand)

Won't my mommy be so proud of me? (point to yourself)

I'm letting go my baby bumblebee,

Look! He's happy to be free! (wave to the bumblebee flying away)

Take a Trip

Go to a floral shop and let your child look at the different types of flowers and arrangements. Answer any questions they might have about what a florist is.

Taste Honey

Make these easy cookies with your kids and let them taste them. Talk about how bees make honey and what honey is with your child.

Mix together ¾ cup shortening, 1 cup honey, 1 egg, and ¼ cup water until it is creamy. Add 3 cups rolled oats, 1 ½ cups flour and ½ teaspoon baking soda. Blend well. Drop cookies onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 13 minutes.

Read a Book

There are a lot of incredible books available to go along with the Bee Movie. Pick one you think your child would enjoy and involve them while you are reading. Ask them questions about the pictures and story. Following are a few suggestions of books to read.

• Are You a Bee? (Backyard Books) by Judy Allen
• The Honey Makers by Gail Gibbons
• The Life and Times of the Honeybee by Charles Micucci
• Buzz-Buzz, Busy Bees (Mini Edition): An Animal Sounds Book by Dawn Bentley, Melanie Gerth, and Heather Cahoon
• Diego's Buzzing Bee Adventure (Go, Diego, Go!) by Alison Inches and Ron Zalme
• Happy Bees! by Arthur Yorinks and Carey Armstrong-Ellis