Bumblebee Boy Flies Alone! (Sometimes)

Lately, it seems like my kids are all about superheroes. #thebigone has been pretty into them since he was about three, and has always been especially interested in Spider-Man. #thelittleone recently discovered his brother’s big Captain America action figure at my parent’s house, and has become very attached. He loves to run with it through the house chanting “dun dun duuuuuh” as his very own superhero soundtrack. So when I found out the group of moms I team up with some months for a themed picture book inspired craft link up was going to be focusing on the Ladybug Girl series, it was only logical that I would choose The Amazing Adventures of Bumblebee Boy for my kiddos.

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In case you’re not familiar with it, David Soman and Jacky Davis’ Ladybug Girl series follows Lulu, an imaginative little girl who feels strongest when she is dressed as Ladybug Girl. In Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, we meet her friend Sam, whose superhero altar ego is Bumblebee Boy. The two heroes play together and successfully protect their playground. The book I chose, The Amazing Adventures of Bumblebee Boy, is centered around Sam and his little brother Owen. Owen is desperate for a chance to be included in Sam’s imaginative dramatic play scenarios, where he rescues his household from all sorts of threats. (Aliens and pirates and dragons, oh my!)

It’s a charming story about the classic older sibling-younger sibling dynamic of the desire for independence, and the little shadow that persistently tags along. I knew #thebigone would be able to see a bit of himself and his younger brother in the characters. Although he’s typically very patient and almost always wants to include his little brother in activities, he does have his moments of frustration – and understandably so. This book is a great read for kids struggling with that relationship – both the older sibling and the younger.

Kids will love the imaginative adventures of Bumblebee Boy and his young sidekick, which will spark all sorts of ideas for ‘bad guys’ they may need to battle themselves. The illustrations in the book are darling, with the characters given so much life. I am particularly smitten with Owen, seeing so much of #thelittleone’s toddler quirks in him. (Oh, and also, who can resists a kiddo in footie jammies?! Am I right?!)

Inspired by the adorable costumes worn by both Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy, we decided to create our own superhero personas and attire. These capes and masks are simple to create, and provide a great jumping off point for make believe play.

You Will Need:
T-shirt. I chose to do mine in the current size, or just slightly larger than my kids wear, because I didn’t want a lot of material hanging on the ground.
Fabric paints/markers. We used a combination of puff paint and brush on fabric paints, but use what you have on hand or feel most comfortable with.
Plain masks. These can be found inexpensively at most craft stores, and there are usually craft foam options as well as some fabric options available.
‘Extras’ for your masks. (Optional) We picked up some fun superhero themed foam shapes to add on to our masks, but there’s no reason this is a ‘must’. Other fun ideas for add-ons could be feathers, sequins, rhinestones, or ribbons, depending on what sort of superhero your child plans to be come.
Scissors. Fabric scissors are ideal, but not a requirement. Adults should take care of the cape cutting, at least for the younger crafters.

Directions to make no-sew superhero capes from t-shirts are everywhere on Pinterest as well as on an overwhelming number of blogs across the web, so I won’t bore you with the specifics of that. I personally used these instructions from Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs. The instructions are simple and straightforward with plenty of pictures, so it was simple to follow along and create our capes.

I created #thelittleone’s cape for him, obviously inspired by Ladybug Girl herself. #thebigone worked hard on his cape… In not-too-surprising six year old fashion, he chose to make himself ‘Underwear Man’. His cape shows a guy wearing underwear and holding two torches. (I’m guessing the torches are a Minecraft by-product, but I could be wrong). What can I say? Undies are a guaranteed giggle when you’re a kid, I guess!

To decorate the masks, we used a combination of foam shapes with glue, puff paints (squeezing those little bottles is great for hand strength!) and some fabric paint with brushes. I did #thelittleone’s for him, and #thebigone took care of his own. He’s not a big fan of masks, so I knew he wasn’t likely to wear it a lot. I wasn’t too surprised when he rushed through the mask portion of our craft. Other kids will take more time with it, I’m sure.

When our masks and capes were completely dry, we took advantage of a warm-ish January day to squeeze in a little outside superhero play! The boys had a lot of fun running through our yard, setting ‘dinosaur traps’, and poking a dead caterpillar with sticks. We’ve added our special capes and masks to our dress-up cupboard in the playroom, until the next time Underwear Man and Ladybug Boy have an adventure to go on!

Do your kids love superheroes too? What kind of superhero would they choose to become? Let me know in the comments! 

Some great ideas for dramatic play are right here, and costume fun is collected here!
If you’re looking for other great activities inspired by children’s literature, this is for you!

And don’t forget to scroll down for the Ladybug Girl Craft Link Up! Lots of great ideas from other creative bloggers.

Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post (at no additional cost to you), which allows me to continue providing free content on the blog.