Spiders may seem a bit creepy-crawly, but they’re also incredibly fascinating creatures!

Teaching kids about these eight-legged wonders is educational, and also a great way to nurture their curiosity about the natural world.

In this spider-themed blog post, we’ll share fun facts about spiders, uncovering their secrets one web at a time.

We’ll share how they create their amazing silk, the different species that inhabit our planet, fun facts that will leave your young ones wide-eyed with wonder, and no-prep spider worksheets.

​Fun Spider Facts for Kids

From jumping spiders to black widow spiders, from the tiniest silk-spinners to the giants of the arachnid world, there’s a whole universe of spider facts waiting to be explored.

🕷️ Spider Variety

• 🌐 There are thousands of species of spiders worldwide, each with its unique traits.
• 🌏 Spiders live on every continent, from North America to South America, and even in New Zealand!

Here are some of the different species of spiders children may see when observing spider species

• 🕷️ Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus mactans): Known for its distinctive red hourglass shape on the abdomen, these venomous spiders can be found in North America.

• 🕷️ Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa): Recognized by their violin-shaped markings, brown recluse spiders are known for their potent venom. They inhabit various regions, including the United States.

• 🕷️ Jumping Spider (Salticidae): These tiny, colorful spiders are known for their incredible jumping abilities and can be found all around the world.

• 🕷️ Tarantula (Theraphosidae): Tarantulas are large, hairy spiders found in different parts of the world. Some species are popular as pets.

• 🕷️ Huntsman Spider (Sparassidae): Known for their enormous leg span and speed, huntsman spiders are found in various habitats, including tropical regions.

• 🕷️ Orb-Weaver Spider (Araneidae): These spiders create intricate, wheel-shaped webs and are found in gardens and forests worldwide.

• 🕷️ Wolf Spider (Lycosidae): Wolf spiders are ground-dwelling hunters known for their keen eyesight. They can be found in North America and beyond.

• 🕷️ Daddy Longlegs Spider (Pholcidae): Daddy longlegs are known for their long, thin legs and are commonly found in homes and gardens.

• 🕷️ Garden Spider (Araneidae): These colorful spiders are often seen in gardens, weaving large, circular webs to catch prey.

• 🕷️ Trapdoor Spider (Ctenizidae): Trapdoor spiders create burrows with camouflaged lids and are skilled ambush predators found in various regions.

🕷️ Spider Size and Shape

• 🕸️ Spiders have blue blood.

• 🦀 The Goliath birdeater is the largest spider globally, as big as a dinner plate!

• 🕸️ Spiders do not have wings.

• 🕸️ Spiders have a hard exoskeleton that covers their entire body. This exoskeleton acts like armor, providing protection against predators and environmental hazards.

• 🕸️ Spiders have eight legs. These multiple legs help them move swiftly and with precision, whether they are hunting or building webs.

• 🕸️ A spider has 2 body parts. The main parts are the cephalothorax and the abdomen. 

• 🕸️ Spiders spin silk, one of the strongest materials known, even stronger than steel!

🕷️ Spider Webs and Silk

• 🕸️ Spiders use silk to create their webs, with different purposes from catching prey to building trap doors.

• 🕸️ Spiderlings hatch from an egg sac and are incredibly tiny.

• 🐺 Wolf spiders are hunters that don’t spin webs and chase their prey

🕷️ Spider Senses

• 👀 Spiders can have multiple pairs of eyes, giving them great eyesight.

• ⚡ Some spiders are venomous, like the black widow and brown recluse. Most spiders, however, are harmless to humans.

🕷️ Spider Behavior

• 🍽️ Spiders like to eat insects, helping keep the bug population in check!
• 🕸️ Spiders lay eggs.

• 🦟 Spiders have eight legs and use them to move around quickly.

• 🦵 Spiders have long legs, helping them move quickly and climb walls.

• Some can even jump like acrobats!

• 🕸️ Spiders eat insects.

• 🕸️ All spiders make silk.

🕷️ Fascinating Spider Facts

• 🥚 Female spiders lay eggs in sacs, each containing hundreds of baby spiders.

• 🧡 The redback spider, related to the black widow, sports a bright red stripe on its back.

• 🌎 Spiders live in diverse habitats, from deserts to forests, and even your own backyard!

• The smallest spider known to science is the Patu marplesi.  This tiny spider are hard to spot in their natural habitat. 

🕷️ Dealing with Arachnophobia

• 🧐 Arachnophobia is a common fear of spiders, but learning about them can help you understand and overcome it.

• 🕸️ Spiders play a crucial role in the food chain, providing meals for birds, small mammals, and other creatures.

Spider Worksheets for Kids

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)

Free Spider Activities

To help keep your spider theme awesome, here is a free printable Itsy Bitsy Spider poem.

Conclusion: Spinning a Web of Knowledge 🕸️

And there you have it, spider facts for kids! s.

🕷️ As we wrap up our adventure, remember that spiders are not just creatures of fascination but also essential members of our environment.

They help control insect populations, weave intricate webs, and adapt to different habitats across the globe.

So, the next time your kids spot a spider in your backyard or read about them in a book, you can share your newfound knowledge about jumping spiders, black widow spiders, and many others.

Spiders are not just “creepy crawlies”; they are captivating creatures that deserve our respect and understanding.

Keep exploring the world of nature, keep asking questions, and keep sharing the cool facts you’ve learned about spiders.

Who knows what other amazing secrets are waiting to be uncovered in the world around us? 🌍🕷️

Spiders are incredible creatures with fascinating facts that are easy for young children to understand. Let’s dive into some spider wonders with fun emojis! 🌍

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