Making Spider Webs
Cut squares out of white posterboard and make slits around the edges. Tape a piece of black yarn to the back of each square and pull it through one of the slits. Then have the children cross the yarn back and forth over the fronts of their squares, attaching it through the slits (slits can be used more than once). Trim the ends of the yarn and tape them to the backs of the squares.
Variation: Use black thread instead of yarn.
Egg Cup Spiders
Give each child a cardboard egg carton cup and four 4-inch pipe cleaner pieces. Help the children poke their pipe cleaners through their egg cups to make spider legs. Have them bend the legs slightly downward. Let the children paint their spiders black and glue on plastic moving eyes, if desired.
Spider Webs
Discuss spiders and their webs with the children. Show them pictures from books of different types of spider webs. Go on a nature walk to look for spider webs. (Morning walks are best for spotting webs because they glisten with dew.) Bring a web inside for the children to observe. To capture the web, spray a piece of black construction paper with hairspray, then move the paper up behind the web until it adheres to the sticky surface.
Web Making
Have eight or more children sit on the floor in a circle. Give a ball of yarn to one child. Have the child hold onto the loose end of the yarn and roll the ball to another child. Have that child grasp hold of the loose yarn and roll the ball to a third child. Let the children continue rolling the ball back and forth until everyone is holding onto the yarn. Then stop the game and let the children admire the web they have created.
One Spider Went Out to Play
Have the children sit at random on the floor. Recite the following verse as you walk among them.
One spider went out to play,
Out on a spider's web one day.
He had such enormous fun,
He called for another spider to come.
At the end of the verse, choose one child to hook onto your "spider train". Repeat the verse, this time saying "Two spiders went out to play," and choose another child to join the fun. Continue the game until the children have formed one long spider train. Then recite the final verse below and have the children act out the movements described.
All the spiders went out to play,
Out on a spider's web one day.
They had such enormous fun,
They didn't see the web break --
(Clap hands.)
And they all fell down!
Spin, Spin Little Spider
Sung to : "Ten Little Indians"
Spin, spin, little spider,
Spin, spin, wider, wider.
Spin, spin, little spider,
Early in the morning.
Dance, dance, little spider,
Dance, dance, dance out wider.
Dance, dance, little spider,
Early in the morning.
Make your web, little spider,
Make your web, wider, wider.
Make your web, little spider,
Early in the morning.
Prune Spiders
Give each of the children a large soft prune to use as a spider body. Then let them poke pretzel sticks or crispy Chinese noodles into the sides of their prunes to make legs.