Advert. I’m really excited to be working with Macmillan Children’s Books to share a craft with you today for Julia Donaldson’s new book – What The Ladybird Heard on Holiday.
This cute ladybug paper plate craft can be adapted for different ages as you’ll see below and I must admit that I rather love it’s little folding wings and the ‘secret’ that they ladybird hides beneath them.
This What The Ladybird Heard craft is a great activity to do if you’re reading the new book (or the others in the series!) and is super cheap to make too.
What You'll Find on This Page
About What The Ladybird Heard On Holiday
Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh are back in the third instalment of the What The Ladybird Heard series. Written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Lydia Monks this time Len and Hugh are planning to steal a monkey from the zoo and use it to pinch the Queen’s crown.
It’s a pity for them that a certain crime-busting ladybird is holidaying in the very same city . . . and she’s got a good idea that will ensure the dastardly pair won’t get away with it!
You can find out more about the book and buy a copy here now – I can confirm that it’s already become a firm favourite with my kids!
The book is also part of a series of books by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks that have been released with glitter on every page – how cute are these! They’re lovely for the kids to look at and feel while you read the stories.
What The Ladybird Heard Craft Materials
Black paint
Red paint
Two paper plates
Scissors
Glue
Black card
Black pen
Split pin
Lets Make It!
At the end of this post I’ll be giving you some ideas on how you could modify this craft for different ages but I’m going to start by giving you the instructions for making this What The Ladybird Heard craft as a bit of a literacy activity too.
Start by painting the underneath of two paper plates – one red and one black. If you can’t wait for the paint to dry then you could use felt tips to colour them instead.
I’ve found that when I paint paper plates I tend to get much better coverage when I paint with my fingers rather than a paintbrush though as a parent I totally understand if you don’t pass that tip on!
When your paper plates are dry cut the end off the red paper plate and then cut it in half to make your ladybirds wings.
Next cut four circles out of black card and stick two on to each wing. If you wanted to modify this you could draw the spots on using a black felt tip pen.
Next up connect the two wings using a split pin. Hold the two wings together first to make sure they connect properly and then push the split pin through at the top – I pushed mine into a lump of playdough to make it easier and safer.
If the pin won’t go through easily you could make the hole first with scissors and then push the split pin through.
Once your wings are connected line them up on the black paper plate and push the pin through that too so that your ladybirds wings can move.
Fot the ladybirds face I’ve tried to make mine look as much as Lydia Monk’s drawings as possible (no pressure eh?!) the eyes are cut from white card as is the mouth with the black parts of the eyes being drawn on. Once you’re happy with your ladybirds features stick those on too.
Finally cut out some white card to stick under the ladybirds wings where you can share what she heard – I’ve written that she heard Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh!
How to adapt this craft for different ages:
Having a child in year two and another in nursery I know that while they both love this book what they are able to achieve are quite different – after all my four year old hasn’t learnt to write yet!
Some ways that you could adapt this What The Ladybird Heard craft are to make it as one paper plate without the movable wings, drawing on the spots and face rather than painting them (I like chalk pens for any drawing in white), doing a drawing of what the ladybird heard rather than writing about it or just leaving the secret bit out from under their wings completely – the ladybird still looks super cute just as a craft!
Like this idea?
Make sure that you bookmark this page or pin the image at the bottom of the page so you don’t forget about it! You can also check out our free What The Ladybird Heard wanted posters or our round up of What The Ladybird Heard activities and crafts with lots more ideas and some fantastic free printables and some What The Ladybird Heard at the Seaside activities with mermaid, whale and shark crafts to try out too.
If you are learning about ladybirds you might also want to check out our free printable ladybug template too which is perfect for kids crafts or just as a painting or coloring sheet.
Want more ideas for kids books?
Why not check out this Superworm sensory bin, this movable paper plate craft for The Snail and The Whale or this edible cake scented playdough for Sue Hendra’s new book Cake!
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Lovely idea for a craft activity! We’re off to see What the Ladybird Heard at the theatre next week, very excited!!
I miss making things like this with my kids. They’re all older now and not interested in cute things like this any longer! Such a great craft idea.
I would have loved making this when I was a child! Craft can be so fun
Seems like a really good read something my nephew would love plus the craft is very fun especially done whilst reading the book
What a cute craft to make! It looks really simple but so effective. My daughters older now so sadly we don’t do things like this any more, we always loved making things though.
My son loves ladybirds, I’m going to have to get this book for him x
What a fantastic craft idea. I miss my son being small and doing such crafts with him
I love this I am off to get paper fasteners I have a play date coming up and loads of paper plates so this is ideal