Birding for Kids

Fun birding activities for children

Kids are naturally curious about everything they encounter in their world, including birds. Even everyday birds like sparrows or robins can hold fascination for children. It can be so much fun making birdwatching a family activity. There are so many ways to help kids learn about birds and make it interesting for them; plus, it's important for children to learn about the nature of their own land.

If you're a homeschooler, Scoutmaster or just simply a parent who wants to add to his / her child's education, birding projects are a great way for kids to learn. Kids love to do things hands-on, and it's been proven that they learn by doing. Crafts about birds are one of the best ways to teach children about the habitats, feeding and nesting habits of the common songbirds in your garden. Another good way to teach children about birds is simply watching them through binoculars and having them find the bird in question in a field guide.

Good projects for kids include:

• Easy-build bird feeders and bird houses - these will teach children what kind of birds live in houses and feed from feeders. You can also explain to them the importance of good nutrition for birds.
• Having them draw a picture or write a story about their favorite bird, using facts found from books at the library
• Taking them to a bird sanctuary to observe birds up close and learn about rare birds. You might learn something too!
• Having them name the state birds for all the states or provinces they've visited (if they haven't visited many, pick the areas with interesting birds), then find out five facts about each bird
• Having them study the history of birds, or draw a picture of what birds may have looked like a million years ago

It's also important to teach children that birds are delicate animals and should never be hurt in any way by humans. You can teach them how to protect birds from predators like cats and squirrels and how to respect the world around them so that they will grow up knowing how important it is to protect our wildlife.