Bird Related Activities for You and Your Preschooler

Parents are always looking for fun educational activities to do with their preschool aged children. Children need to learn about animals. Birds are readily available and attractive. Here are five ideas your child will love and will not cost much.

Safety Note: Please do not allow children to cut containers or punch holes without help as they could injure themselves.

1.       Feed the birds: You can go out and buy an expensive and attractive bird feeder for your yard, but your child would probably prefer to make one. There are several easy and inexpensive ways to construct bird feeders.

An empty plastic milk jug: After the milk or juice is gone, wash the container. Then cut most of one side out.  Start several inches above the bottom so the seeds will not fall out. Tie a string to the handle of the gallon to hang from a tree. The sides can be decorated as the child sees fit. Then, fill the bottom with seeds and hang the feeder from a tree branch. Your child will love to watch the birds eat from his/her very own feeder.

A pinecone: If you have pine trees in your yard or access to pinecones, they make great natural feeders. First tie a string around the pinecone to hang the feeder with. Then spread peanut butter all over the cone. Pour seeds onto a paper plate, and roll the pinecone on the plate to cover it in seeds. Hang the pinecone where the birds can enjoy it, and watch them come.

A plastic drink container: You can reuse an empty water bottle (or soda, juice, etc.) to make a small bird feeder. It is best to use a clear container for this project. Start by cleaning the empty container and removing any paper or plastic labels from the container.  Then punch holes in the container about the size of a pencil. You can leave a pencil or small dowel through the container (sticking out on both sides) for the birds to land on. Then fill the container with seed, tie a string around the neck, and hang.

2.       Identify the birds: One of the most difficult skills for young children to master is learning their colors. Birds come in most any color, so watching and trying to identify them can be a great way to practice colors. Your child can also practice matching which is another important preschool skill. Begin by getting a book on birds or looking on the internet for information about the birds in your area. If you do not wish to purchase a book, the library is a great place to borrow one. Then go outside to play or take a walk. As a child??s attention span is approximately one minute for each year of life, do not expect a three year old to sit waiting for a half an hour on a bird. While you are out enjoying the day, point out birds that you see. Then try to find the bird in the bird book. If the bird is common in your area, see if your child can remember the type of bird the next time you spot one.

3.       Listen to the birds: Feather color is not the only difference in birds, they have different calls as well. Spend some time listening to the songs the birds sing and see if you can tell the difference. Once you think you know some of the birds by song, put on a blindfold and listen.  Guess the bird and then remove the blindfold to see if you were right.

4.       Give them a home: Build or buy a bird house for your yard or porch. Put it out and your child will have a great time all spring watching the birds build their nest and care for their young. Make sure to research what kind of house to get to attract the birds you are looking for and where to put it. After the season is over, remember to clean the bird house so that it will be used the following year.

5.       Provide a bird bath: Birds love to play in the water. You can purchase a bird bath or make one using a trash can lid or other shallow container like a pie pan. Make a base for the bath to sit on with bricks. Make sure your pan or lid is clean. Then, take the lid (upside down) or the pan and place it on the base. Rinse off some rocks and put them in the ??bath.?? Add water and you have a place for the birds to bathe.

Children will remember the time you spend working on projects with them while they are young. Enjoy the time you have with them. It is always a bonus when your child can learn while having fun. I hope you will have a great time learning about birds together.