Bug jars are fun to make in the summer time, and encourage young naturalists to observe insects. All you need is a clean, dry mason jar, some acrylic paints (add glass medium if you wish, but we didn't find it necessary), one nail, and a hammer. Be sure to carefully hammer a few holes in the lid (taken off the jar for hammering purposes and set solidly on a hard surface) - for air. Paint your bug jar however you wish - imagination counts! - we did ours with some cute ladybugs. When dry, put a bit of grass into the jar, add bugs, and sketch, photograph, or write your observations in a nature journal this summer. One caveat: make sure you let your insects go after a short amount of time. They need to forage and find their own food, and it will allow your young biologists to collect other bugs to study.
