Preschool children can make their own books about a grasshopper. Read the fable "The Ant and the Grasshopper" to the class, then allow the students to make their own book about the fable. A printable version of the book can be found online at Enchanted Learning; however, teachers can help students make their own books. The teacher can type a few sentences on each page, allowing room on each page for students to draw a picture that corresponds to the text. Teachers may also leave blanks for students to fill in the word. The pages can be bound with staples, glue or brad fasteners.
Students can make their own chirping cricket. Cut a diagonal-shaped wedge from one end of a cardboard toilet paper tube for the tail shape, cut a mouth shape from the other end, and paint or color the tube green. Cut leg shapes from green craft foam. A pattern can be found online at Ladies Home Journal. When the tube is dry, glue the legs on the sides. Glue an emery board or notched craft stick to the outside of the legs. Punch two holes in the top of the tube, and thread a green chenille through the holes, curling them up on the ends. After gluing two green pom-poms to the edge of the tube, glue a wiggly eye on each one. To make the cricket chirp, rub a craft stick against the textured sticks on the legs.
Preschoolers can make a grasshopper with a clothespin by first painting a clothespin green and allowing it to dry. Provide each student with a 6-inch piece of craft wire, shaping the wire to look like grasshopper legs, which may require teacher demonstration. Hold the clothespin open, and glue the center of wire to the inside of the clothespin. You'll need to glue two wiggly eyes to the top of the clothespin. Sticking two fancy sewing pins in the top front of the clothespin will give the grasshopper antennae.
A grasshopper place card holder could be used to mark the students' cubbies or their place at the lunch or party table. Begin by drawing a circle and a half-oval on a sheet of green paper, cutting out the shapes. Draw a face on the circle, and students can decorate the body by writing their names or drawing a grasshopper wing. After punching a hole in each end of the body, insert a green chenille stem through the holes, and shape for the legs. You'll need to cut two small pieces of chenille stems, and form them into "v" shapes. Glue them to the back of the head for antennae. After shaping two pieces of modeling clay into small balls, insert the legs into each one to form feet. Press the feet onto the table surface to flatten the bottom, and allow the grasshopper to stand.