When I was touring schools with my Eco-rock Rainbow Road show (from 1997 - 2003) I opened the performances with a Muskogee (Creek) story called "How Grandmother Spider Stole The Sun. It was my signature story and became synonymous with the "We're All Interconnected" message I sought to impart to children.
Truthfully, I'm not wild about spiders. They freak me out. However, I implicitly understand their importance in the ecological landscape of our world and retain (like many others) an inherent fascination with arachnids of all shapes and sizes.
Tan jumping spider - Photo by Kevin Collins
There's no denying their ability to evoke fear in us! But also amazement at their beauty and ability to spin such phenomenal webs!
Peacock spider Photo by Jurgen Otto
Photo by Fir002/flagstaffotos.com.au
So how do we introduce spiders to children? After all, there is good reason to fear some of the spiders in our neighborhoods. In Florida the brown recluse is a formidable entity, as is the black widow in parts of Canada. But painting all spiders with the same brush stroke can create unnecessary fear and demonization of the species. So when my 5 year old grandson expressed horror and disgust at the thought of spiders in the basement of his home (where I was sleeping), I immediately reassured him that spiders aren't 'bad'; that one should be cautious around them, but gently removing them from the house and putting them outside was my personal preference when confronted by them. We promptly did this with one that I found.
Australian golden silk orb weaver with locust: Photo by Brian W. Schaller
The approach I take with kids is to get them fascinated by the creatures. Look at this spider catching a locust. Think about the strength of the silk spiders spin. How many babies do they have - how do they float in the wind? Below are some ideas for starting the conversation.
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