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Did You Know? 5 Bee-Themed Things for Kids to Learn this Week

By Sarah Hauge, Macaroni KID Englewood-Greenwood Village-Centennial Publisher August 15, 2022

Despite their popularity in the U.S., honeybees aren't native to North America, but did you know that there are over 900 species of bees in Colorado alone? 

This surprising fact comes from the Butterfly Pavilion, an interactive invertebrate zoo in Westminster that offers educational experiences for visitors of all ages.

The Butterfly Pavilion manages ten beehives at its facility along with 35 additional hives throughout the Denver Metro Area. Register for a Beekeeping Bootcamp to learn more about the local bees and how to care for them in your own backyard.

Below are five more bee-themed things to teach your kids this week. 🐝


1. A silly joke.

What's the buzz? We've got an un-bee-lieveably fun joke for you. 

What kind of bee can't make up its mind? A maybe.


2. A new vocabulary word.

Look to the sky, and you might see more than one drone — one of nature and one of technology. Listen closely, and you may hear one too!

What is a drone? "Drone" is the name for a few different things... a male bee, a low humming sound, and a remote-controlled pilotless device. 


3. A word puzzle.

To solve a rebus, consider not just the words but the placement, size, color, and quantity of everything within the box (and sometimes just outside the box!) when trying to decipher the puzzle. 

What is a spelling bee? A spelling bee is a competition to determine the best spellers. Test your spelling abilities with the words used in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which has been an annual tournament since 1925.


4. A fun fact.

It may be tempting to pick wildflowers, but leaving them for the bees is a better idea. According to Nasa.gov, foragers must collect nectar from about 2 million flowers to make 1 pound of honey. That's a lot of flowers!


Because honey is naturally antibacterial, it can fight off yucky growth and is safe to consume for very long periods. Archaeologists have found 3,000-year-old honey pots with perfectly edible honey in them!


5. Teach a personal discovery.

Have you ever been stung by a bee? For some people, a bee sting is just a quick, uncomfortable pinch, but for others, it can be a severe injury.

Are you allergic to bee stings? About 2 million people in the United States are allergic to bees, although most don't learn this fact unless they are stung. Learn some helpful hints from Children's Hospital for avoiding bee stings if you suspect you or your child may have a bee sting allergy.

More bee-themed safety: Even if it's sterilized, honey is unsafe for babies! Read more from Solidstarts.com to understand why children shouldn't consume honey before their first birthday and why it's best to wait until a child is at least two years old before trying honey for the first time.


"You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." –English idiom

Did you learn something new? Now's the time to pass that knowledge on! Be sure to come back next week for another five FUN things to teach your kids.