There is hardly a boy in the world who isn't fascinated with creepy crawlies. Although many girls are also fascinated, generally this seems to appeal more to small boys. They will gather admiringly around a beetle that is haplessly crawling across the playground, or pick up rocks at the back of the garden in the dark and shady places and admire the range if black and slithery beings as they writhe and scuttle their way from the blaze of daylight to burrow back within the safety of another dark and damp place.

This fascination can be developed and encouraged, although many parents would be keen to discourage it more often than not. The idea of your little boy bringing into the house his latest find, only to discover it jumped for freedom and is not hiding somewhere between the kitchen and living room is not one which delights the average parent. However, there is a way in which you can both encourage your child's interest in these creatures, helping him or her to understand more about them, whilst at the same time exercising a degree of control over the situation. It is also useful and important to bear in mind the fact that these creepy crawlies themselves, whilst not appearing over endearing to you, are living creatures, and small boys are not notorious for their delicate handling of these creatures.

It is for this reason that the wide variety of 'bug bucket's and collecting jars and related equipment is very popular. Of course, the children are drawn by the images of giant insects and weird, alien looking bugs on the box, whereas what you as a parent are more likely to see are the images of safe plastic boxes and sealable jars into which these same bugs can be contained. These kits come with instructions, and advice on how to find a bug, and how to trap it in the jar or collecting box safely, without causing it undue harm. It is even suggested that some items such as soil, moss or leaves can provide a suitable place to keep the bug for a little longer - although these are not destined to be the creatures prison for the rest of its life! Instead, these are designed to allow careful observation of the creature, so that your child can learn more about it.

Often these kits either come with a magnifying glass, or with a panel on the box having a magnifying effect. This allows the bug to be observed in greater detail, and of course it is worth bearing mind that some of these animals are beautifully attractive once you start to see past the slime and wiggles. Beatles can have vibrant, almost metallic like cases, and the eyes of flies are a radiant explosion of colour and light. Helping your child see these, and understanding why they are so different to other creatures will be a very valuable learning opportunity - and provides greater peace of mind for you! Look out for kits which come with books or pamphlets which help you and your child identify different insects. This will usually involve things like counting legs, identifying wings and a thorax, and will prove fascinating and highly educational - possibly for you both.