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Fun Spider Facts for Kids
Get ready for some fun, creepy crawly, learning with these fun spider facts for kids! Plus, as a thank you for stopping by, you will find a free Spider poem towards the end of this post. Enjoy!
Types of Spiders
There are thousands of different species of spiders. In fact, National Geographic claims there are over 45,000 known species of spiders in the world.
While there isn’t enough time in the day to list all the different types, here are common kinds of spiders you may be teaching young children about. Most of these are found within the United States.
- Jumping spiders
- Black widow spiders
- Red widow spiders
- Brown recluse spiders
- Wolf spiders
- American house spiders
- Redback spider
- Jumping spiders
- Tarantulas
- Mouse Spider
Fun Facts | Spider Facts for Kids
Interesting facts about spiders are perfect when teaching spider information to young kids. When teaching about these fascinating creatures, the following spider facts cover the basic facts kids need to know.
Find your favorite spider crafts for kids, and teach the kiddos these basic facts about spiders that won’t freak them out. This list was created for a group of PreK, Kindergarten, and First Grade students to learn throughout our “All About Spiders” week.
- A spider has 8 legs.
- A spider’s body has two main parts
- Spiders can bite.
- Some spiders spin spider webs
- All spiders make silk.
- Most spiders have eight eyes (4 pairs of eyes)
- Spiders do not have wings.
- Spiders eat insects.
- Spiders have blue blood.
- Female spiders carry an egg sac and lay eggs.
Even as an adult, I am fascinated with the fact most spiders have 8 eyes. I don’t remember learning that as a child; do you?
Yes, it’s true. Most spiders have 8 eyes. The two larger front eyes are for judging distance and to get a clear image.
Whereas, the smaller side eyes are used to detect movement. Wow! These small eyes are just what the spiders need to catch prey or escape predators.
Fascinating Facts about the World’s Largest Spider
The Goliath Birdeater is the worlds largest spider. The largest Goliath ever found had an 11″ leg span. This type of spider is the largest in the world based on it’s weight and body length.
The Giant huntsman spiders, not found in North America, is also compared in size to the Goliath birdeater.
Although many people with a fear of spiders may argue otherwise, these large spiders are not considered dangerous spiders to humans. The spider bites one may experience from the Goliath Birdeater and Giant Hunstman are may feel painful, but they are venomous.
One may suggest medical attention to assure an infection does not occur.
World’s Smallest Spider
According to Wikipedia, the smallest spider in the world is the Patu Digua. This tiny spider is found in Columbia, South America.
The Patu Diguas look like baby spiders measuring in at only .37 mm. This spider’s body is as small as a pin head!
Spider Facts Worksheets
When teaching kids about spiders, or spider species, it ‘s smart to incorporate a variety of teaching tools, such as spider books, videos, spider themed sensory bins, and opportunities to draw, write, and build facts.
If you’re looking for a print-and-go, no-prep, Spider writing center, you will love this Building Sentences: Spider Facts for Kids.
These printable Spider worksheets are great for a hands-on activity at home or in the classroom. Read more reviews for this Spider resource on my TPT store.
Included in this printable Spider resource for kids, you will get:
- 10 Spider facts printable (8.5″ x 11″)
- 10 spider facts building sentences worksheets (level 1 – the sentence is at the top, and the kids use word tiles to rebuild it as shown)
- 10 spider facts worksheets (level 2 – No sentence is shown at the top. Kids build a spider fact based on the word tiles at the bottom)
Let’s help kids break through their common fear for different spiders. There are many spider kits available to observe the body parts, and watch as they spin a sticky web.
Free Spider Activities
If you’re new around here, you might not know (yet) how much I love using poetry and nursery rhymes to get kids excited about reading. In my opinion, a poetry notebook is an absolute must-have if you are teaching or have kids at home.
To help keep your spider theme awesome, here is a free printable Itsy Bitsy Spider poem.
Get your FREE Spider poem, HERE.
GET YOUR FREE SPIDER ACTIVITIES FROM THESE AMAZING TEACHER-AUTHORS
(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT)
Count the Spiders // Alleah Maree
ABC Spider Match // Engaging Littles
Origami Spider Corner Bookmark // KiddyCharts
Spider Addition Mats // Fairy Poppins
Make Ten // The Primary Parade
Spider Roll Dot Numbers // Teach Me Mommy
Scary Spider Count Boom Cards // Alleah Maree
Spider Color Matching // Live, Laugh, & Love Kindergarten
Spider Sight Words // The Primary Parade
Itsy Bitsy Spider Poem // Little Learning Corner
Conclusion
There are several ways to incorporate fun activities when teaching all about spiders. Include these fun spider facts worksheets, free poem, non-fiction spider books, crafts, and videos for an amazing spider lesson plan.
Before you go, here are a few blog posts you will enjoy:
75 Best Yes and No Questions for Kids
115 Top Picks for Poem of the Day
65 Easy Holiday Crafts for Kids
