Children are delighted by the colours and variety of butterflies, and these glamorous winged creatures are such accessible examples when teaching about migration, natural adaptation and other subjects in a science curriculum.

But of course real preserved butterflies can be distressing to young children - it can be hard for them to deal with the idea that these beauties have been killed to be framed - as well as being very delicate when handled by little hands, and expensive too.

Our Clear Cut Crafts Natural collections are a popular alternative with homeschooling families, to help with vacation nature studies, and in school classrooms as well. One of our school customers in America selected the International pack of 100, and we were happy to hand-pick a group for them, focusing on North American butterflies. I was so pleased to hear that they're planning to use them to inspire classes of students for several years, with projects such as:

• A migration map, with the butterflies' route tracked at every stage

• An identifcation aid on nature hikes, so they could catch and release real specimens in the field, and still have a representation for display

• Recognition (instead of the old gold star) for students with outstanding performance on tests or essays.

We are always happy to work with parents and teachers to meet their individual needs. Whether you're a homeschooling Mom buying for one or two children, or a School Board shopping for hundreds of students, we would be delighted to put together a package for you.