Are you looking for a fun child project to keep your little ones entertained this summer? Why not show them how to build an ant farm? It’s guaranteed to bring them many hours of fun and entertainment. Plus this project is incredibly simple and easy to build. You’ll be impressed with how hard working and industrious your ant farm residents are!
Here’s how to build an ant farm:
1. Purchase a fish bowl at your local pet store. You can also use a large glass jar, such as a Mason or large jelly jar you have lying around your house.
2. Place an unopened can on the inside of the bowl or jar This makes it easier for you and your child to study the ants. Since the ants can’t enter the jar, they’ll build tunnels along the outside of it which you’ll be able to see through the glass.
3. If you’re using a jar, punch holes in the lid of the jar so that air can circulate through your new ant farm. If using a fish bowl, stretch a piece of breathable material such as muslin across the opening and secure it with a rubber band.
4. Fill the jar halfway with soil.
5. Now it’s time to find an ant colony! One place to look is under decayed tree branches. Wood ants often live in these branches. If you break the branch and ants come out, take the branch home to use in your ant farm. If this isn’t fruitful for you, try searching for a colony to dig up. Dig the colony up along with some of the surrounding soil and add it to the farm. Be sure to get a queen ant as the ant colony will eventually die without her. Be careful to avoid getting fire ants since they’re aggressive and may bite.
6. Be careful when removing the queen. The worker ants are programmed to “honor and defend her” and may bite you or your child.
7. Once you have the ants in your ant farm, cover the outside of the jar with a piece of black construction paper. This keeps the light out which encourages tunnel building. You should start to see tunnel formation after about 5 days.
8. Ants can only survive a short time without moisture. To give them water, place a water soaked cotton ball into the jar. Soak the cotton ball in fresh water on a daily basis.
9. You can feed your ants by giving them bread crumbs soaked in syrup, cracker crumbs, and bits of fruit and vegetables.
10. You can enjoy watching your ants hard at work by removing the black paper from the outside of the jar and studying their behavior with your child.
This entertaining and fun child project can be a great way to teach your kids about the habits of ants and other insects. They’ll love knowing how to build an ant farm of their own!
