Helping Youngsters Learn About the World of Bees

"Educating young people has become one of the most rewarding parts of my work with the California Master Beekeeper Program and the UC Davis Bee Haven. We encourage curiosity and exploration through interactive activities, including answering questions to spin a prize wheel, handling 3D-printed models, examining pinned insects and creating pollinator-themed crafts."

So said Kian Nikzad, co-manager of the California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP) following an outreach program at the Vacaville Museum Guild's annual Children's Party that drew 350 attendees. 

The event, geared for children ages 3 to 9, featured educational and entertaining information from  "the bee people" and "the bug people." Nikzad and Samantha "Sam" Murray, education and garden coordinator of UC Davis Bee Haven, led the bee team while Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology led "the bug people." (See news story about the Bohart Museum's contribution).

Both Nikzad and Murray are members of the E. L. Niño Bee lab, Department of Entomology and Nematology (ENT-NEM) and both are beekeepers.

Bee Observation Hive

The bee display included a bee observation hive (where the youngsters were encouraged to find the queen, the drones and the workers), microscopy,  bee pest replicas, the you-make-it-yourself pollinator garden with puzzle pieces, and arts and crafts activities, including how to craft bee antennae headbands. The youngsters also made seed cookies for the bees, sipped on honey straws donated by The Hive, Woodland, and spun a colorful wheel, designed with questions for them to answer. They included:  

• What is pollination and why is it important?
• What plants do pollinators like?
• How many bee species are in California?
• What is the waggle dance?
• How many eyes does a bee have?
• Name a  bee predator.

"We connect the material to things children already know, such as the fruits they enjoy that depend on pollination," Nikzad said. "This helps reinforce what they learn and brings parents into the conversation, creating additional opportunities for continued learning at home."

Murray commented that "It is really rewarding and important to engage with youth and encourage them from a young age to see themselves as pollinator stewards. By learning about bees and other pollinators and discovering ways they can help, they develop a closer connection to them and begin to see themselves as part of the solution."

"One of my favorite educational activities is the 'Make Your Own Pollinator Garden,' where kids can mix and match puzzle pieces to create their own pollinator-friendly garden," Murray said. "They can choose from different elements, including patches of flowers, native bee homes, water sources for bees, and even fruits and foods we enjoy thanks to pollination. It also gives us a chance to showcase many of California’s wonderful native bees, butterflies, and even beetles!"

Seed Cookies for the Bees

"They also get to make their own pollinator seed blooms to take home and plant, so they can put what they learned into action as soon as they get home and start creating a little bee-friendly space of their own!" she shared. "It is a fun way for them to learn that being a pollinator steward can start with something as simple as planting a flower. Through tactile games, looking at a bee under a microscope, and observing a real hive, kids are able to connect with pollinators on a much more personal level. It is amazing to see their curiosity and excitement grow as they learn."

Murray always congratulates the youngsters "when they finish creating their beautiful pollinator garden design and thank them for being such wonderful pollinator stewards. It is so meaningful to encourage them and remind them that even at a young age, they can make a difference for pollinators."

The "bee people" staffing the tables also included Vacaville beekeeper Rick Moehrke, who is working toward his master beekeeper level, and UC Davis senior Abi Moreno, a bee enthusiast who is majoring in global diseases.

CAMBP, founded (2016) and directed by Elina Niño, professor of Extension, Apiculture, uses "science-based information to educate stewards and ambassadors for honey bees and beekeeping." Nikzad serves as the co-manager with Wendy Mather. 

The Bee Haven, a half-acre pollinator demonstration garden, is located next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility. Part of ENT-NEM, it was installed in the fall of 2009.  Niño serves as the director of The Haven. It is open to the public (free admission) from dawn to dusk.