Storytime & Craft: Fireflies!

I know it is not technically "summer" yet, but the hot weather and lots of outdoor time sure has me thinking it is!  That must be why I wanted to do some fun things about fireflies with Tyler.  After reading "Fireflies!" which is about a boy and his neighbors spending the evening catching fireflies in a jar, Tyler and I "caught" our own.


Not sure of the original source, but this is where I found the idea searching the web.  If anyone knows the source, please let me know!!

To "catch" your own fireflies, you'll need:
* clean and clear jar
*glow in the dark paint
*thin bristle paint brush

You are going to stick the paintbrush about halfway in the jar and tap it against the sides so the paint splatters everywhere.  After you've made a big ol' mess, put your jar somewhere it'll get lots of light.

 Definitely check out the link above for the picture of the project-- it is wayyyyy cool.  I would put it on my page, but I am not sure of the original source!  Here is a very edited version of our fireflies!!  My camera was not interested in capturing the glow in the dark paint.

 The next day we did another firefly craft using Tyler's hand and foot.  His foot was the body of the firefly and the wings are his hands-- makes for a cute little keepsake.  We added eyes, antennas, and glow in the dark paint for the fireflies light-up section.

We also read "Fireflies" (an All Aboard Science Reader) and "Flash, Firefly, Flash!"  to learn more about fireflies.  Did you know?!

* Fireflies are beetles

* Male fireflies have two light-up sections; females have one

* There is over 2,000 kinds of fireflies in the world

* The main reason they light up is to find a mate

* Most fireflies sleep during the day

* I didn't read this to Tyler, but in "Fireflies" it said how firefly genes are put into cancer cells; the glow helps track the movement and spread of the cancer. (Interesting, huh?!)