Spider September

A month ago Lyra learned from one of her friends to scream and run every time you see a spider. This then lead to waking up in the middle of the night screaming that there were spiders in the dark. I have a background in field ecology so screaming about spiders is not something I do or have much tolerance for. In an effort to teach her that spiders were not something to be feared I declared September spider month.

I started by ordering a couple of spider books for her little library. I purchased Are You a Spider? and Spiders. These books are illustrated and designed to teach children the biology and life cycle of spiders in a simplistic way. Since I was already ordering books I decided to include

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders for my husband and I so we could properly identify the spiders in our home and yard. 

I also organized some spider coloring art on paper and the windows. There are crafty spider ideas all over the internet.

Spider window art using crayola window crayons

We followed this up with a visit to the Insect Zoo at the Oregon Zoo. Even though spiders are not insects they house a few Mexican red-kneed tarantulas there. This exhibit only briefly held her attention due to the exciting tiger exhibit next door, however she did not show any fear. 

Lyra checking out the Mexican red-kneed tarantulas at the Insect Zoo

Finally, I purchased a movie of one of the most famous spider stories ever written, Charlotte's Web. One of my absolute childhood favorites. She also fell in love with this movie. So much that she informed me yesterday that Charlotte lives on a web in her playhouse and eats lots of flies like a good spider.

This little campaign worked so well that I am considering making October bat month in honor of Halloween.