Catching fireflies is such a fun childhood experience! We wanted to share that experience with the little adventurers at our "ONE Happy Camper" Camping First Birthday Party, so we came up with this cute activity that tiny toddlers could do. You simply prep the jars ahead of time, then the kiddos use a finger dipped in paint to point to the bugs, leaving a yellow "glow" behind. So cute and super easy! Free, customizable printables are included.
To begin, use a black permanent marker to draw fireflies onto Quart Mason Jars.
We wanted to use these jars as a simple, age appropriate party activity for the little ones at our camping party, so we saved this step for later so the kids could do it. We simply poured a very small amount of Yellow Washable Paint into Mini Clear Appetizer Plastic Bowls, then had the kids dip their finger into the paint and point to the bugs, leaving a yellow "light" on each bug. This is a simple activity geared toward toddlers, so if you're just giving these to older kids as a favor, you can complete this step yourself.
Next, download the free printable jar labels from our Camping Party Printable Pack and print them onto White Cardstock. Use scissors to cut them out. Apply double-sided tape to the back of the jar labels and adhere them to the jar lids.
We've included an editable PDF in our Camping Party Printable Pack that allows you to customize the name tags for these jars with the names of your choice. Simply click on the text boxes in the PDF to add your own names, then print the PDF on white cardstock. Use scissors and/or a paper trimmer to cut them out, then use a hole punch to add a hole in the left side of each tag. Thread Red Baker's Twine through the holes and tie the tags around the the jars.
Now just add a Bug Net to each jar and you're all ready for the party! If you're using this as an activity, try doing it early on at your party so that the jars have time to dry before the kids take them home.
Make sure to see the entire Camping Themed Birthday Party, the Camping Birthday Party Printable Pack and the DIY Campfire Sensory Activity.