Want a fun family project this summer? Get a leafcutter bee pollinator house from Kind Bee Farms! Keeping leafcutter bees in your garden is a great way to teach your kids about nature while spending more one-on-one family time.
Here are a few reasons why your family will love this project:
All the Fun Without the Stings!
Leafcutter bees are docile, gentle pollinators that rarely sting (which is why we call them kind bees!). Kids of all ages can observe the bees right up close without fear of getting hurt.
Your kids can try holding the bees, and you do not need to worry if a bee lands on them—it’s just saying hi!
Gets the Kids Outside and Off Devices
Looking for ways to reduce your family’s screen time? Get them off their devices and into the garden to observe the leafcutter bees!
Include the activities below to make your bee house project more engaging for your kids. Before you know it, they will be excited to disconnect and spend more time outdoors.
Paint and decorate the bee house. Our bee houses are made from sturdy acacia wood that you can paint, stain, and decorate with things like stickers, stencils, and contact paper. Let your kids choose the design and decorate as a family!
Pro tip: leafcutter bees love blue, green, and ultraviolet!
Give the kids their own pollinator-friendly garden plots. Teach your kids how to care for their own flowers or plants! Select varieties that leafcutter bees are most attracted to (they favour low-growing plants) so they can more closely observe how they pollinate and cut leaves.
Some plants your kids can grow include:
- Pansies
- Marigolds
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Peas
- Cucumbers
Great for School and Family Bonding
If your kids are homeschooled, caring for bees is a great addition to their science lessons, and it is one that the whole family can get in on!
You can create a list of questions for your kids to help them learn how to observe bees more closely. You can put all the questions and answers in a family “Bee Book” or have the kids log their own journals. This is a great way to combine school lessons with extra family time!
Some example activity questions can include:
- How long does it take the bees to fill their tubes with eggs?
- What types of leaves are they using to line the tube hole?
- Are there any flowers the bees are visiting more than others?
A Low-Maintenance, High-Reward Project
As solitary bees, leafcutters are very independent and look after themselves, so you do not have to do a lot of work to keep them happy!
Mount the bee house 300 feet from the garden and 4 feet off the ground. You can get your kids involved by letting them choose what to use as the mount (this blog post has some fun ideas).
After the house is mounted, all you have to do is release the bees!
The best part? You will see the results of their hard work! Once your bees are free to fly, they will be hard at work sprinkling pollen from one plant to the next.
Before you know it, your garden will be overflowing with a healthy yield!
Get Family Fun with a Pollinator House from Kind Bee Farms
Keeping leafcutter bees is an activity that the whole family can enjoy! Are you ready to get started? Visit our Shop to order your bee house and show your kids the joys of nature while making lasting memories.
Check out our blog to learn more about leafcutter bees!