I received a phone call today from a guy who wants me to give a short presentation on beekeeping to a group of 8 to 10 year old children and their parents. I told him I would gladly take on the task. Unfortunately I've only been keeping bees for 3 years and I have never done anything like this. I would appreciate it greatly if some on you could email me with ideas and sources for any teaching aids I might use in the presentation. I thought about taking a few frames of cured honey and extracting it and giving sample tastes to the kids and maybe setting up an observation hive to show a couple of frames of bees working.
I have done several groups like this. It is best to keep it simple. I would bring one frame of honey and one frame of empty comb. Talk about what you know. Kieth Delaplane has written a good beginers book if you feel you need a text. If you have your own photos bring them. Most importantly have fun with it and your audance will also!
I would also consider taking equipment like a smoker, tools, and stuff like that. Kids love to do "hands-on" stuff, and making it a tactile experience will imprint it in their memory better and make some of them really interested. Let them manipulate and interact.
if it's a close up presentation, pin a drone, worker, and queen if you have a preserved queen around. if not, a picture, so that they can see the difference.