When I worked at the Steiner Kindergarten in Bristol, we used to make these busy little bees every summer with the children. It was one of their favourite craft activities and their parents always loved it too. I thought it would be a fun little extra kit to pop into the Summer Craftpod. If you don't have this kit though you can still make one - you will need.....

an alder cone

some yellow fleece

white cotton thread

white tissue paper, baking paper or glassine bag

Use a very small amount of yellow fleece (less is more in this case!) and twizzle it a bit to make it almost like thin yarn.

Wrap the fleece around the alder cone, 3 or 4 times to make the stripes of the bee.

Fold a single piece of white tissue paper or glassine bag in half and cut out a wing shape leaving the fold in the middle. Open out the wings and place over the top of the bee body on a bit of an angle. Tie around the body and carefully make a knot.

Once the wings are secure, twist them gently so that they lie horizontally across the bee body.

Leave the thread attached as you can now use this to dangle your bee from - you might want to trim off one end to tidy it up.

.....tie your bee to a stick or hang it on a plant or from a flower!