National Network for Child Care's Connections
Newsletter
Sandy Davin
Director
After-School Child Care
Urbana School District #116, Urbana, Illinois
Copyright/Access Information
Bird tracks! Yes, that's right, bird tracks! Bird tracks can mean
a wealth of activities for your inquisitive school-agers. When
the excitement of the first snowfall melts, the children will
get restless staying indoors. Its time to bring birds to the windows
of your children's imaginations. And how do you get them there?
You feed them ... the kids way.
Start by examining the area around your center from a birds perspective.
Find the places where birds like to go. As you explore the outdoors,
ask the children for their ideas about what types of areas might
attract birds. Most birds look for areas that have cover so they
can hide. They also look for good nesting areas. They want settings
where they can feel safe from cats, dogs, and people.
Next, have the children examine the area from the bird watchers
perspective. Have children note the areas where birds seem to
gather naturally. Challenge them to find feeding areas that can
be viewed from several places without disturbing the birds. Perhaps
they could also find a window good for bird watching to use on
very cold days or for long time periods. After you have collected
this information, move on to Phase 2. Decide how and what to feed
the birds!
Your school-agers can make an inexpensive bird feeder. Two of
the most popular types to make are also the easiest. Take a pine
cone or styrofoam cup, connect a strong string so you can hang
it, and coat it with peanut butter (messy, but FUN!). Then, dunk
it in a bowl of birdseed. Even preschoolers will enjoy making
one of these!
Another simple way to feed birds is to string popcorn or cranberries.
Then, wind the string around a tree branch. Be sure to keep track
of your needles so younger children don't find them the hard way.
More challenging designs include cut-out milk cartons and feeders
constructed with popsicle sticks, paint stirrers, or wood scraps.
When you decide which feeder to make, consider the ages and abilities
of your children. Also, think about the amount of food each feeder
can hold and how easy it will be to refill it. Consider the feeders
size and weight and whether it will be protected from the elements.
Deciding what to feed the birds will involve more exploring. Different
kinds of birds are attracted by different types of food. Call
the local librarian to help you here, especially if you want to
attract a certain type of bird. There are many books about feeding
and attracting birds. An all-purpose bird seed, found in most
supermarkets and feed stores, will usually do the trick. Popcorn,
dry bread crumbs, stale crumbled crackers, berries, sugar water,
and peanut butter are all suitable bird foods that are commonly
found around the house. Encourage the children to try different
things and decide for themselves what foods the birds prefer!
After the excitement of building, locating, and stocking the bird
feeder has died down, don't think the fun is over. Here are several
follow-up activities that can extend the interest in these new
nature observatories.
BIRD WATCHING. This is a very popular, lifelong leisure
activity. It can be done almost anywhere at almost any time. Before
the school day begins is ideal. But don't forget outings to local
parks, pet stores, or in your own neighborhood. Check out a book
on birds from your library so that you can correctly identify
the birds by name.
NATURE DRAWINGS. Give the children sketch books and some
colored pencils. A 10-year-old Audubon can capture the wonder
of both birds and the winter setting!
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES. Your young scientists can have a field
day gathering all types of data. Have them keep records and make
charts of the types of food the birds prefer and the amount they
consume in a day or a week. Have them note the consistency of
feeding patterns and how they are affected by the weather. They
can compare the number of birds feeding in the morning and afternoon.
They can also note the types of birds attracted by different foods
and feeders. The list could go on and on! Have the children make
posters and displays of their results for their parents to see!
Try a few of these activities. You will really mean it the next
time you say, "Winter is for the birds."