Create a Buzz with a Bug Theme Party!

This bug theme party is crawling with great ideas that will keep the kids busy as bees and carefree as butterflies!

Bug Theme Party Invitations

These little invitations from TinyPrints.com are as cute as a bug!

Don't you just love the personal touch that the photos add?

These little homemade invite ideas are pretty stinkin' cute, too:

• Caterpillar Invitations: Accordion-fold green cardstock paper lengthwise into thirds. Leaving the folded edges intact, use scissors to round the unfolded edges into a circle shape. Unfold to view your caterpillar shape. Using wiggle eyes and markers, create a face on the top fold. Unfold the caterpillar and write the party particulars across his body. Use black pipe cleaners to add antennae and legs. Decorate with colorful polka-dot stickers.
• Ladybug Invitations: Cut oval shapes out of red cardstock (you will need 2 ovals for each invitation). Using the red ovals as a template, cut head shapes out of black cardstock. They should be rounded at the top, and straight across at the bottom, cut to fit perfectly over top of the red oval. Glue the headshapes onto one sheet of each set of red ovals. Put each pair of ovals into a stack, and use a hole punch to put two holes in the head areas. Insert a pipe cleaner in each hole, and twist to resemble antennae. Trim, if necessary. Use remaining black cardstock to create polka dots for the backs of the ladybugs. Use a black sharpie to draw a line down the center of each bugs back to separate the wings. Open the invitation to the second red oval and print all of the party info.

On a normal day, it would be pretty creepy to have your house crawling with bugs, but on the day of your Bug Theme Party, you want those little critters everywhere!

Here are some creative ideas to turn your party area into a bug theme party paradise!

• Green Vines: Use different shades of green crepe paper streamers to drape green "vines" all through your party area.

• Blades of Grass: Get different shades of green balloons filled with helium, and have them tied with green curling ribbon. Let the balloons float to your ceiling to create a green ceiling, and let the green ribbons hang down to resemble vines.
  
  
• Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere! Make colorful bug shapes out of cardstock, and place them all over your party area! Bright yellows, oranges and reds will look terrific amid all of the greenery! Butterflies, bumblebees and dragonflies can be strung from the streamers to look like they're flying about. Ladybugs, grasshoppers, and caterpillars can be adhered to the streamers, windowsills and walls to look like they're merrily crawling along.

• Buggy Balloons: Bundle some balloons in groups of two or three at eye level and decorate them with bug stickers. Remember to tie a few to your mail box to mark your party location!

• Flower Garden: Make giant tissue paper flowers and adhere them to the wall. Use green art paper to make giant stems and leaves to go with them. Bugs would be cute buzzing around these, as well.

• Antennae Headbands: These little antennae headbands are SO cute for a bug theme party! Make a headband for each child to wear during the celebration...it's so simple! Attach black pompoms to headbands with black pipe cleaners and you're all set!

• Bugs in a Jar: Children hold plastic bugs chest-high and try to drop them into a jar on the floor at their feet. If this is too easy, have them kneel in a chair to do it, with the jar on the floor behind the chair.
  
  
• Grasshopper Leap Contest: Have kids take turns "leaping like a grasshopper" and mark where each child lands. Have them leap once again to see if they can leap further than the first time. This tactic, rather than a contest against each other, ensures that everyone's a winner!

• Egg Carton Caterpillars: This is an old-fashioned craft, but still loads of fun and perfect for a bug theme party! Cut egg carton cups into sections to create a caterpillar. Provide the kids with glue, wiggly eyes, pompons, pipe cleaners, markers, etc. and let them go to town personalizing their very own critters.

• Bug Eyes: Cut egg cartons into pairs of cups. Cut holes in the bottom of the cups for eyes, then let the kids decorate them as desired. Attach pipe cleaners to secure them to their ears like glasses.

• Eye Dropper Butterflies: Cut butterfly shapes out of white paper and fold them in half. Provide the kids with eye droppers and several colors of paint. Have them unfold the butterfly shapes and use the eye droppers to randomly drop different colors of paint on one side of the butterfly. Fold the butterfly in half again and gently press down. Open up to see a unique and colorful butterfly design!

  

• Go on a Bug Hunt: Give each child a little magnifying glass and take them outside to explore. If you like, you can provide a bug house to collect the bugs in so that the kids can get a super close look at all of the different insects. They'll love seeing these little creatures up close and personal!

• Butterfly nets
• Bug houses
• Magnifying glasses
• Chocolate, foil covered ladybugs
• Gummy worms or gummy bugs

• Creepy Crawlers (on a bun): Cut several slits along the top side of a hot dog, about 1/4" apart and 1/2" deep. Turn the hot dog over and repeat, this time cutting the opposite end of the hot dog. Boil the hot dogs until they become "curvy", which is about 5 minutes or so. Place the creepy crawler on a bun, and add a ketchup or mustard face, if desired.

• Cracker Critters: These peanut butter cracker snacks are just adorable! Learn to make these adorable spiders here.

• Oreo Butterflies: These little cookies are so cute they will make your heart flutter! Take a look at them, and get instructions to make them here.

• Cucumber Caterpillars: Slice washed, unpeeled cucumbers into 1/2" medallions. Overlap the slices on a platter to make them look like caterpillars. Using cream cheese as glue, adhere slivers of shredded carrots for antennae and legs, and raisins for eyes. Serve with veggie dip.

• Beetle Juice: Turn lemonade into yummy, buggy beetle juice by tinting it with green food coloring.

This bug cake is crawling with cuteness!

Ladybugs and caterpillars crawl among daisies and greenery to create the perfect little cake for your bug party.

A fun little personalized cake topper, accessorized with daisy buttons and a paper caterpillar add an adorable finishing touch.

Some other fun cake ideas?

You can't go wrong with a dirt cake, and caterpillar and ladybug cupcakes would be super cute, too.

Click on the links below for instructions on how to make those.

Have fun with it! :)

Butterfly Cupcakes

Dirt Cake

Caterpillar Cupcakes

Bug Party Supplies

Birthday in a Box has the cutest little personalized bug party supplies for this party!

From party banners to thank you stickers and so much in between, these little goodies are worth checking out!

See the collection here.

Wrap up your paper goods shopping with paper plates, napkins, and cups in coordinating colors.

Shopping Links

Visit these online shops to find everthing you could want for your bug theme party, and more! :)

TinyPrints.com Bug Party Photo Invites

CelebrateExpress.com Green balloons, streamers and curling ribbon to create your buggy wonderland.

Birthday in a Box Magnifying glasses, bug boxes, favors, personalized party goods and more!

Links You Don't Want to Miss

More Kids Party Ideas

Fun Favors

Kids Party Invites