Minibeasts & the Garden

Fun, creative activities for kids, including kids craft ideas to keep them amused for hours!

CleverPatch is currently closed until 6/1/25. Orders will be processed upon our return.

Insect Diorama

Experiment with collage and paper to create your very own garden scene that is full of cute little creepy-crawly insects.

  • Step 1Using the back of your diorama box as a template, cut out a piece of blue card to create a background scene. Using the blue as the sky, cut out pieces of dark green and light green card to create a layered grass look with longer stems poking up so you can stick on some foam cut into flower shapes. Attach to the back of your diorama box using glue.
  • Step 2Create extra depth in your diorama by cutting a strip of spiky grass out of some green card and gluing it along the inside of the front window.
  • Step 3Using the base of your diorama as a template, cut a piece of dark green card to create the grassy ground. Add colour by sticking on some Foam glitter flower stickers. Attach to the base of your diorama box using glue.
  • Step 4Choose around 3 different insects that you’d like to include in your garden scene. We’ve chosen a spider, caterpillar and butterfly.
  • Step 5To create the spider: Draw a spider shape onto some black card and cut out. Scrunch some black tissue paper into a ball big enough to be the body of the spider and stick onto the spiders shape using glue. Allow to dry. You can then use white paint to dot on 8 eyes so your spider can see! Attach to the outside of your diorama box with glue.
  • Step 6To create the caterpillar: Glue together both light and dark green card cut into circles to create the body of the caterpillar. Allow to dry. Decorate using black marker and green chenille stem for the antennas. Finish off by folding a small rectangular piece of green card in half length ways and gluing the caterpillar to one side so it now has a stand. Place within your scene using glue to attach.
  • Step 7To create the butterfly: Take two pieces of tissue paper (different colours) and cut out 2 smallish rectangles. Pinch the rectangles in the middle so they fan out on the edges like wings. Layer the colours on top of each other so they overlap slightly in the middle. Secure them in place by wrapping the yellow chenille stem around the middle pinched area, creating the body and using excess chenille stem to create the antennas. Glue the wiggle eyes in place and allow to dry.
  • Step 8Once your scene has been set and the animals are in place, decorate the outside of your diorama box using paint.

Materials used in this activity

Foam Sheets - Large - Pack of 10
Optional
Product Code: 10788
EACH $10.99 (inc GST) $9.99 (ex GST)
5 or more $8.24 (inc GST) $7.49 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Chenille Stems - Bright - Pack of 100
Optional
Product Code: 10825
EACH $7.69 (inc GST) $6.99 (ex GST)
5 or more $5.38 (inc GST) $4.89 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Tissue Paper - Assorted - Pack of 100
Optional
Product Code: 10933
EACH $16.49 (inc GST) $14.99 (ex GST)
6 or more $13.19 (inc GST) $11.99 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
CleverPatch Junior PVA Glue - 1 Litre
Optional
Product Code: 12302
EACH $13.19 (inc GST) $11.99 (ex GST)
12 or more $9.23 (inc GST) $8.39 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Cardboard Diorama Boxes - Rectangle - Pack of 10
Optional
Product Code: 13069
EACH $28.59 (inc GST) $25.99 (ex GST)
6 to 11 $21.99 (inc GST) $19.99 (ex GST) 12 or more $18.58 (inc GST) $16.89 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
Foam Glitter Flower Stickers - Pack of 120
Optional
Product Code: 13506
EACH $6.59 (inc GST) $5.99 (ex GST)
10 or more $4.94 (inc GST) $4.49 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Jute Twine - Thin - 70 Metres
Optional
Product Code: 14037
EACH $8.79 (inc GST) $7.99 (ex GST)
6 or more $6.15 (inc GST) $5.59 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
CleverPatch Cardboard - Assorted Colours - A4 - Pack of 100
Optional
Product Code: 14932
EACH $19.24 (inc GST) $17.49 (ex GST)
6 or more $15.39 (inc GST) $13.99 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Product Code: 15518
EACH $3.84 (inc GST) $3.49 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
Product Code: 16476
EACH $2.74 (inc GST) $2.49 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
CleverPatch Triangular Maxi Coloured Markers - Pack of 10
Optional
Product Code: 16523
EACH $10.99 (inc GST) $9.99 (ex GST)
10 or more $8.79 (inc GST) $7.99 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
HB Pencils - Pack of 20
Optional
Product Code: 16618
EACH $8.79 (inc GST) $7.99 (ex GST)
6 or more $6.59 (inc GST) $5.99 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
CleverPatch Junior Artist Paint - 500ml - Set of 11 Colours
Optional
Product Code: 20806
EACH $108.78 (inc GST) $98.89 (ex GST)
3 or more $84.58 (inc GST) $76.89 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value