Celebrate World Bee Day

Celebrate World Bee Day in the Primary Classroom!

• World Bee Day on May 20 is the perfect opportunity to teach young learners about the importance of bees.
• These tiny pollinators play a huge role in our environment, food supply, and ecosystems.
• By celebrating World Bee Day in the classroom, students can develop a deeper appreciation for nature while engaging in fun, hands-on learning activities.
• We have a Bee Life Cycle resource which is packed with print and go resources

Why Teach About Bees?

• Bees do more than just buzz around flowers.
• They help pollinate one-third of the food we eat, including apples, strawberries, and pumpkins.
• Without bees, many plants wouldn’t grow properly, affecting animals and people alike.
• Teaching children about bees encourages environmental stewardship and fosters curiosity about the natural world.

Engaging Activities for World Bee Day

1. Bee Observation Walk
Take students outside to look for bees in the school garden or nearby park. Encourage them to observe how bees move from flower to flower. Ask questions like, “What colors do the bees seem to like?” and “How do bees help the flowers?”

2. Hands-On Pollination Experiment
Use cotton swabs to mimic how bees transfer pollen. Have students dust “pollen” (flour or colored powder) from one flower to another. This activity demonstrates how bees help plants grow and produce fruit.

3. Creative Bee Crafts
Let students create bee-themed crafts such as paper plate bees, honeycomb paintings, or pipe cleaner bee models. These crafts reinforce learning while encouraging creativity.

4. Read Bee Books
Choose books like The Honeybee by Kirsten Hall or Give Bees a Chance by Bethany Barton. Reading about bees helps children understand their importance in an engaging and accessible way. See the comprehensive list of books at the end of this post.

5. Write a “Save the Bees” Letter
Encourage students to write letters or draw posters about why we need to protect bees. They can share these with family members or display them around the school to spread awareness.

Connecting World Bee Day to Science and Sustainability

World Bee Day aligns perfectly with science topics like ecosystems, food chains, and biodiversity. It also supports discussions about sustainability, helping kids understand how small actions—like planting flowers or reducing pesticide use—can make a big difference for bee populations.

Make World Bee Day a Buzzing Success!

Bringing World Bee Day into the classroom makes learning exciting, interactive, and meaningful. By engaging in hands-on activities, children develop respect for bees and their role in nature. Let’s inspire the next generation of bee advocates—one lesson at a time!

Picture Books About Bees

1. 🐝 Bee – Patricia Hegarty

   • A beautifully illustrated book with rhyming text, perfect for introducing young readers to the importance of bees in nature.

2. 🐝 Give Bees a Chance – Bethany Barton

   • A fun and engaging non-fiction book that teaches kids why bees are so important and why we should protect them.

3. 🐝 The Honeybee – Kirsten Hall & Isabelle Arsenault

   • A lyrical and gorgeously illustrated book that follows the journey of a honeybee collecting nectar.

4. 🐝 Flight of the Honey Bee – Raymond Huber & Brian Lovelock (Australian author!)

   • A fantastic story following a little honeybee as she works to collect nectar, with scientific facts woven into the narrative.

5. 🐝 Bumblebee – Rachel Bright & Jim Field

   • A sweet and inspiring story about a little bee learning about kindness, teamwork, and determination.

Australian-Specific Bee Books

6. 🐝 Busy Beaks – Sarah Allen (Australian author!)

   • While this book focuses on Australian birds, it beautifully ties into discussions about pollination and nature.

7. 🐝 Wilam: A Birrarung Story – Aunty Joy Murphy & Andrew Kelly (Australian Indigenous perspective)

   • This book introduces Woiwurrung language and explores how all creatures—including bees—are connected in the Australian ecosystem.

8. 🐝 Australian Backyard Bees – Doug Purdie (For slightly older kids, 7+)

   • A great resource for curious kids who want to learn more about beekeeping and native Australian bees.

Activity & Fact Books About Bees

9. 🐝 The Bee Book – Charlotte Milner

   • A visually engaging book with lots of easy-to-understand facts about bees, their importance, and how we can help them.

10. 🐝 Bee Detectives – Vanessa Ryan-Rendall & Brenna Quinlan (Australian book!)

    • A fun mix of storytelling and science, teaching kids about native Australian bees and how to find them in the wild.

How will you celebrate World Bee Day in your classroom?

Visit our resource here on our website

or here on TpT

Celebrate World Bee Day in the Primary Classroom on May 20