In the classrooms at GEARS Kids Center, 70 S. Poplar St., Elizabethtown, teachers recently read "The Grouchy Ladybug" by Eric Carle to students, educating the little learners about the importance of ladybugs. The students learned that ladybugs eat aphids, which can damage vegetables, plants and flowers in the garden. They also got a hands-on lesson about the ladybugs.

On April 21, preschool and kindergarten students ages 3 to 6 participated in GEARS' third annual ladybug release. "This project allows the youngest of children to learn how important insects are in our environment," said Wendy Musser, Kids Center director. "The children get to be up close and personal with these tiny creatures that help to eat other insects that can damage flowers and crops."

Musser came up with the idea for the ladybug release because she wanted a tactile way to teach the children. While many classrooms release butterflies, Musser thought ladybugs would be a nice alternative.

She noted that along with learning about ladybugs in preparation for releasing the insects, the children studied a variety of Earth Day subjects. "Topics include recycling, picking up trash around our playground and planting seeds to watch flowers grow," she remarked.

When it came time to release the ladybugs, the children eagerly gathered outside the child care center, ready to watch thousands of the insects take flight. Giggles and squeals abounded as they enthusiastically participated in the project. "The children loved allowing the ladybugs to crawl over their arms and hands," Musser shared, adding that the warm spring day underscored the beauty of the child care center's grounds. "The cherry blossom trees were a great space to release the insects."