As a former Science teacher, I have to admit that I couldn't be happier with my daughter's budding love for nature.  She definitely enjoys exploring the outdoors and learning all she can about the critters and creatures we co-exist with outside.

Educational Insights, manufacturer of playful products with serious educational value, has found an indoor way for your little scientist to learn plenty of great information about bugs, with the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net. Keep reading to learn more!

The GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net from Educational Resources will help your child successfully catch the learning bug!  This well-designed educational toy is designed for children ages 4 years old and up and is just the thing to keep your child's brain stimulated through the long, lazy summer months.  It comes complete with one bug net, six bugs (praying mantis, spider, ladybug, bee, grasshopper and butterfly) and requires 3 "AAA" batteries (not included).

There are two ways to play with the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net: quiz mode or fun facts mode.  With the talking bug net set to fun facts, your child will hear more than 60 amazing bug facts about the collective 6 bugs included with this set.  Simply insert one bug of choice into the net and the net will tell you a fun fact about THAT SPECIFIC BUG.

That's right...it recognizes which bug your child adds to the net!  In fun facts mode, you must only put one bug at a time into the net.  If more than one bug is added, the net will ask you to please remove all but one bug.

Once your child is feeling rather bug-savvy, then they will enjoy playing the quiz game.  Simply move the switch on the handle to the quiz mode and listen to the instructions.  Your child will be prompted to place the correct bug into the net and if they are successful, they'll hear a congratulatory response.  If they didn't choose correctly, they'll be given one more try to find the right bug.  After a second incorrect response, the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net will just move on to the next question.

Riley definitely thought the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net was the "bee's knees!"  (pun intended)  :bee:  She greatly enjoyed hearing the many bug facts and actually remembered most of what she was taught.  Young children also appreciate having large, colorful manipulatives to handle and the six included bugs were just perfect for that.  I have to admit that even I learned a fun fact or two about bugs that I hadn't known before, such as:

• Insects breathe through their bellies
• A queen bee can lay 3,000 eggs in ONE day

What's more, now it's possible to bring Riley's love of nature indoors on days when it is just too hot or rainy to play outside.  If you have a budding nature lover on your hands, then by all means, make sure to buzz over to Educational Insights and check out the GeoSafari Jr. Talking Bug Net!