Bees4Kids - Beekeeper Support
Children's corner at public shows
Beekeeping and honey shows provide an opportunity to show off and to educate. Beekeepers must show off how they are contributing to children's education. Children want to show off what they can do. If we can catch their interest they also want to learn.
However, honey shows are usually part of a bigger event. Adults are rushing round to see everything and the children are often dragged away even though they are interested. This means that displays must be eye-catching, and the children's activities have to be short, not too demanding. yet interesting Displays of children's pictures, models etc. enliven the show and reach our objectives. Schools can be asked to contribute displays on a bee topic. These could form part of a competition and also provide a showcase for the school.
Competitions
Our main aim is to get a good response so it is a good idea to accept anything that the children have created that is connected with bees or beekeeping. However a specific idea can focus the mind.
- Plants need Bees - a poem or poster which illustrates the importance of bees for seed and fruit production.
- Bees in literature - copy and illustrate or make your own story or poem.
- Bees around the world - find out about bees and beekeepers in other countries and present the information as a poster or book.
- How honey is made - find out how honey is made and present the information as a poster or book.
- Make a mobile connected with bees or beekeeping.
- Invent and make a game with a bee theme.
- Design (and make) a banner or flag to advertise beekeeping or honeybee products.
- Make a toy with moving parts with a bee theme: this teaches basic physics and engineering and can really stretch a primary child's capabilities.
Prizes.- It is easiest to decide how these will be apportioned after the entries have come in. In the end effort and presentation will decide who gets the best rewards. Lessons learned from mistakes should be recognized too. You can end up with several first class prizes and lots of commended.
Free show entry for all child exhibitors encourages children to enter and parents to pay to come along too.
Ideas for children's activities
- Sweet making - this has proved very popular, see schools pack page 36 (remember to exclude children with nut allergy).
- Making finger puppets -It is a good idea to have flowers and fruit around and encourage children to use their bees to pollinate the flowers to make the fruit.
- Colouring.-. this activity is frowned on by school inspectors but if it is accompanied by a discussion on the meaning of the picture it can be of real value. Pages 51A,49,39 and 32 from the pack are worth considering.
- Stenciling - Messy but remarkably popular. We have used the stencil templates to make a big frieze in which each child signs their name near their bee. Older children can be asked to paint in flowers and background.
- Fuzzy felt pictures - children find this absorbing and it is a good way of teaching them words like thorax and abdomen. The details are on page 13 of the pack.
- Quizzes - must be quick and need an immediate incentive. Eg winners will get a piece of honey fudge, or a free go on the lucky dip. And, all who make an effort are helped to become winners.
Quiz 1: Which is which?
Specimens of 4 or 5 different types dead bees and one wasp are mounted on white card in a box with a transparent lid. ( A Ferro Rocher box is ideal) eg a worker honeybee, a drone honeybee, a queen honeybee, a bumble bee and a solitary bee. They are labeled A,B,C, etc. and a list of possible identities are given.
The children are first asked to look at a main display of a larger range
of specimens that have been labeled. They find these particularly interesting
if magnified. They are then given a piece of paper and asked to write down
which A,B,C, etc. is which.
Quiz 2: Display quiz
A quiz can be used to encourage children to look at your displays. For example it could be about a display of beekeeping material or about pictures that you have on display or even about the items on the show benches if some information was given too.
We have been using a Quick Picture Quiz based on the pictures from the pack. The pictures need to be laminated to use for display. This display of laminated pictures attracts a lot of interest from both adults and children.
Here are a few specimen questions.
1. Look carefully at the pictures of honeybees carrying pollen in
their pollen baskets.
Where are their pollen baskets?
A On their back.
B On their front legs.
C On their back legs.
D On their heads
2. What do honey bees make out of beeswax?
A Honeycomb
B Honey.
C Candles
D Wax foundation
3. What is a swarm of bees?
A A lot of bees that have left the hive to cool down.
B An angry crowd of bees waiting to attack an enemy.
C A large crowd of bees with their queen setting off to find a new
home.
D A crowd of bees going out to enjoy a sunny day.
4. What is an apiary?
A. A place where apes live.
B. A place where a beekeeper keeps his hives.
C. A place where birds are kept.
D. A place where monks live.
5. Why do you think that people need bees?
The multiple choice format makes it easy to mark and provide an instant response. Question 5 can be used as a tie breaker if needed although we see it as an important discussion point and always make sure that all children go away understanding the value of pollination.
We have found that 12 questions is plenty. The questions that you work out will depend on your picture selection and the theme of your displays.
Bees at public shows
Show organizers must agree to live bees being present at a Show. If hives are to be opened, the number of colonies should also be agreed. The organizers must also be made aware that tethered animals, children's play activities and ice cream vendors etc. should not be sited near to bee hives or in bee flight paths.
It is recommended that at least two BBKA member beekeepers are present if hives are to be opened as this will ensure competence and insurance cover. Live bees should be transported to and from the demonstration area before or after public opening times. A comprehensive leaflet is available for beekeepers from the BBKA concerning the management of live bees at Shows.
Colonies should be selected for docility. In addition, they should be prepared so that only young bees are taken as their stings will not have developed fully. The older flying bees should be left at their home apiary.
It is recommended that the area where the demonstration is to take place be screened with see-through netting (minimum 2 metres high) and secured against public access. There should be sufficient space inside the demonstration area to work and move around a dismantled hive unhindered. Adequate beekeeping equipment should be available at the Show which should include a hand-spray containing water with a little washing-up detergent.
Before a demonstration takes place it is recommended that any on-Show-site doctor or St John's Ambulance/first-aider be notified of the times hives will be opened and an agreed procedure of communication is established.
During the demonstration, no more than one hive should be opened at the same time. It is useful to have a competent beekeeper amongst the watching public as he is then on hand to deal with any worries of individuals. Should a member of the public be stung they can be conducted away without fuss and shown how to scrape off the sting to reduce any after-effect. In the unlikely event of a serious reaction, the pre-arranged procedure can be swiftly put in place.
Similar considerations apply to observation hives at public Shows. However, because members of the public can be closer to the live bees, additional care is necessary to ensure that no mischievous probing, pushing or tapping can allow the hive to be knocked over, or bees escape. A detergent spray should be available to subdue bees, ready for such a situation. No observation hive should be left unattended when any public are present. The outside exit of flying bees should be well above head height. Also, sufficient food, water and ventilation must be ensured.
Downloads
Planning a school visit [40KB PDF]
A School Visit PDF
Maintaining a colony in an observation hive and build your own Chalfont
observation hive [135KB PDF]
Observation Hives PDF
Credit
The original Bees4kids website was created by Raymond & Sylvia Chamberlin High
Wycombe Beekeepers Association.
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