Build a Bug Hotel
Use hollow stems, pinecones and a sturdy container to build a sheltered garden space for visiting insects.
By WonderCraft Kids Editorial Team, Editorial team · Updated 15 July 2026
A bug hotel is a build with a genuine purpose: solitary bees and ladybirds really do move in. The construction takes an afternoon, and then it becomes a thing to check on every week for a year.
What you need
- A large tin can, wooden box or stack of bricks
- Hollow stems: bamboo canes, cardboard tubes, hollow plant stalks
- Pinecones, bark, dry leaves and moss
- Secateurs (adult use)
- String or wire to hang it
- Gardening gloves
Step by step
- 1
Go on a materials hunt: sticks, cones, bark, anything dry and hollow.
- 2
Cut bamboo and stems to the depth of your container. Adults only.
- 3
Pack the hollow tubes in tightly at one end — these are for solitary bees.
- 4
Fill the rest with cones, bark and rolled cardboard for ladybirds and lacewings.
- 5
Pack it firm so nothing rattles out, then fix it somewhere sheltered facing the morning sun.
- 6
Check it monthly with a magnifying glass and record what has moved in.
What kids learn
Habitat and needs
Different insects want different spaces. Building for specific residents is real ecological thinking.
Long-term observation
Checking back over months teaches that nature runs on a slower clock than they do.
Care for living things
Providing for wildlife rather than collecting it reframes bugs as neighbours.
Make it easier
One tin can packed with cardboard tubes, hung on a fence. Fifteen minutes, same result.
Make it more challenging
Build a multi-storey hotel with a labelled chamber per species and a monitoring log.
Safety and supervision
- Adults use the secateurs and any wire cutting.
- Gloves on for handling bark and stems — splinters and the odd spider.
- Teach looking without touching, especially with bees. Wash hands afterwards.
Adult supervision is required for every activity on this site. Read our full child safety guidelines.
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wondercraftkids.com
Build a Bug Hotel
Ages 4-8 · outdoor build · real habitat
Ages 4+ · Low mess
Suggested pin description
Build a Bug Hotel: Use hollow stems, pinecones and a sturdy container to build a sheltered garden space for visiting insects. Ages 4+, 60 minutes total, low mess. Full step-by-step instructions and a materials list at WonderCraft Kids.
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Frequently asked questions
When will bugs arrive?+
Ladybirds can appear within weeks; solitary bees usually come in the first warm spring after building.
Where should it go?+
Sheltered from rain, facing the morning sun, about a metre off the ground and firmly fixed.
