Bird Preschool Lesson Plans

Arts and crafts, games, math, science, group time activities, songs and snack ideas.

Arts and Crafts

Bird Collages

Have the children cut out pictures of birds from magazines, and glue them onto a piece of paper for a collage.

Bird Seed Collage

Allow your child to use bird seeds to create a collage.

Paper Bag Bird Masks

Let children use yarn, paints, crayons and paper scraps to create their own bird mask. You may have to cut out the eyes, mouth and shoulders for younger children.

Paper Plate Bird Mask

Have the children paint a paper plate. When dry have the children add feathers and a nose. Cut out holes for the eyes and add a Popsicle stick to the back of the plate near the bottom with glue.

Bird Place mat

Have the children cut out pictures of birds from magazines. Have the children glue the pictures onto a piece of paper. Laminate the paper and use for a place mat.

Sponge Print

You can find already shaped sponges at most art and craft stores or you can make your own. Obtain sponges shaped like birds. Have your child dip the sponges into paint and press on a piece of paper.

Feather Headbands

Measure your child’s head, and cut a piece of construction paper long enough to create a headband. Glue the paper together so the headband fits snugly on your child’s head but is loose enough to take off easily. Glue the feathers to the headband.

Bird Necklaces

Have the children cut out bird shapes from construction paper. Then, have them use a hole punch to make a hole, so they can thread them onto a piece of yarn. Add colored noodles to the necklace.

Bird Rubbings

Cut bird shapes from paper doilys or sandpaper. Tape these shapes to the table. Have the children place a piece of thin white paper over the shapes and rub a crayon over the shape.

Cookie Cutter Painting

Put a small amount of tempera paint in a large shallow container. (A pie tin works well) Show your child how to dip the bird shaped cookie cutter in the paint and press onto a piece of paper to create a print.

Sticker Art

For a very simple art project, supply the children with a piece of paper and stickers. For younger children this provides an excellent fine motor activity.

Bird Spray Paint Art:

Obtain a few clean spray bottles. Add water and a little bit of liquid or powdered tempera. Then, place a large piece of cat shaped paper on an easel, and have the children spray the colored water onto the bird shaped paper.

Kool Aid Art

Sprinkle a little dry kool aid mix onto a bird shaped piece of paper. Have your child spray water from a spray bottle onto the paper. For added adventure, you may choose to take your children out into the rain with a piece of paper that has kool-aid on it.

Feather Painting

Provide each child with a feather, paint and paper. Ask the children paint a picture using the feather as a paint brush.

Hand Turkey

Paint the palm of your child’s hand brown, as well as their thumb. Then paint each of their fingers a different bright color such red or blue. Have the child press their hand onto a piece of white paper. For older children, let them draw on feet and characteristics such as eyes and nose. The thumb represents the turkeys neck and the palm the body.

Eggshell collage

Use food coloring to color crushed eggshells. Use a few different colors. (You can use eggshells from eggs you have used. There is no need to hard boil these egg shells.) Let your child glue the eggshells to a piece a paper, after the dye has dried.

Egg People

Give the children a piece of white paper, and a pastel egg shape. Have the children glue the egg shape onto the paper, and then draw a body as if the egg was a head.

Cotton Ball Eggs

Let your child glue different colored cotton balls onto a piece of egg shaped paper.

Duckies

Trace a duck shape on a piece of paper and have children glue on different colored feathers onto the duck.

Baby Chicks

Give each child one egg cup cut from an egg carton and two yellow cotton balls. Have your child glue their cotton balls in their egg cups, one on top of the other. Then let them add an orange construction paper beak, and black construction paper eyes.

Egg-Shaped Balloon Prints

In a pie tin, place three to five teaspoon sized portions of different colored pastel tempera paint evenly spaced about the area. Inflate a small balloon to a size which will easily fit in the palm of your child’s hand. Show your child how to “dip” the balloon in the paint and press firmly onto a piece of paper. Let your child mix the colors, or use one color at a time. This is messy, but the results are wonderful.

Paint like a Bird

Supply the children with paper and paint and have the children paint like a bird might paint. You may want to have them put a pair of clean socks on their hands to help them imagine not having fingers to use.

Games, Math and Science

<h3>Stamping Patterns</h3>
Use bird shaped rubber stamps to create a simple pattern on the top half of a piece of paper. Ask your child to help you recreate the pattern on the bottom half of the paper. Tip: Start with one stamp, and have your child pick which stamp you used. Start slowly and work your way up to more complicated patterns.

<h3>Picture Matching</h3>
Find bird stickers. Place 2 identical stickers on the left and right sides of an index card. Cut the index in half, cut in a jig-jag form. Use a highlighter to highlight the edges. Do this with many different stickers. Have the child match the stickers, and line up the two halves of the index card.

<h3>Bird Memory</h3>
Find bird stickers. Place 2 identical stickers on the left and right sides of an index card. Cut the index in half, cut the index card in half. You can use these cards to play memory.

<h3>Bird Sizing</h3>
Draw different sized bird shapes and laminate them. Have the children arrange the birds according to size.

<h3>Bird Sort</h3>
Draw different kinds of birds and have the children sort the bird by color. Or you can cut out pictures of birds and glue each onto a separate piece of paper. Have the children sort the birds.

<h3>Pine Cone Bird Feeder</h3>
Cut a long piece of yarn or ribbon to hang the bird feeder. Tie the ribbon in a knot around the pine cone near the top. Spread peanut butter on the pine cone then sprinkle birdseed over the pine cone. Hang the bird feeder on the tree.

<h3>Measuring Seeds</h3>
Supply the children with birdseed and measuring cups to experiment with.

<h3>Where is my nest?</h3>
Cut out bird and nest shapes from many different colors of construction paper. Have the children match the bird to the correct nest.

Place the eggs in the nest
Tape numbers one through six in the bottom of a muffin tin. Have the children place the appropriate number of eggs in each nest (the muffin holes)

<h3>Seeds and a Balance</h3>
Provide the children with bird seeds and a balance to experiment with.

<h3>Seed Sort</h3>
Provide the children with a variety of different kinds of seeds to sort.

<h3>Neighborhood Bird Walk</h3>
Next time you go for a walk pay special attention to the birds that you see. Name the ones you can for your child. In my area we have a nature park… check to see if you have a nature park near your city.

<h3>Which seed is it?</h3>
Place many different kinds of seeds on a paper plate. One of each kind. Talk about the seeds with your child. Then tell your child that you are going to describe a seed, and you want them to guess which one it is. Take turns trying to guess which seed the other is describing.

<h3>Which Bird is it?</h3>
Show the children many pictures of different kinds of birds. Talk about the birds with your child. Then tell your child that you are going to describe a bird, and you want them to guess which one it is. Take turns trying to guess which bird the other is describing.

<h3>Sunflower Seeds</h3>
Serve Sunflower seeds for a snack.

<h3>Does it Fly?</h3>
Talk about different kinds of birds and whether they can fly or not.

<h3>My Favorite Bird Graph</h3>
Ask the children what their favorite kind of bird is. Graph the results.

<h3>Bird Toss</h3>
Obtain Bird beanie toys or stuffed animals. Have the children try to toss these toys into a laundry basket.

<h3>Vinegar and Eggs</h3>
Well, we probably all have seen this at one time or another. Place a hard-boiled egg in a cup of vinegar, and wait to see it bubble. After one day, take out the egg, wipe it off with a paper towel and feel the egg. Ask your child questions about what you see and feel.

<h3>Lacing Cards</h3>
Cut colored posterboard into bird shapes and punch holes around the edges. Then let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.

<h2>Group Time</h2>

<h3>Penguin Hop</h3>
Play the bunny hop song and have the children pretend to be penguins hopping around.

<h3>The Penguin Song</h3>
sung to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Penguins like the cold weather,
cold weather,
cold weather,
Penguins like the cold weather,
And they like to play.

Penguins like to swim and play
swim and play,
swim and play,
Penguins like to swim and play
And they rest at night

Penguins eat a lot of fish,
a lot of fish,
a lot of fish,
Penguins eat a lot of fish,
Each and every day.

<h3>Had a Little Chickie</h3>
sugn to “Turkey in the Straw”
Had a little chickie
And she wouldn’t lay an egg;
So I poured hot water
Up and down her leg,
Oh, that little chickie cried
And that little chickie begged;
Then that silly little chickie laid
A hard-boiled egg!

<h3>Flying Birdie Musical Chairs</h3>
If they children made feather headbands, have them wear them during this activity. Arrange the chairs in a circle. If you have younger children, it is best to have too many chairs. This can be a game where everyone wins. Have the children pretend to fly around the chairs until the music stops. Then everyone finds a chair.

<h3>Musical Birds</h3>
Cut out bird shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor. It is best for younger children to have more birds than children. Play music and have the children walk around the room. When the music stops, each child needs to find a bird to stand on.

<h3>Nesting Hen</h3>
Place some plastic eggs under a pillow. Have the child sit on the pillow and guess how many eggs are under the pillow. Count the eggs with the child.

<h3>Feathers or Fur</h3>
Ask the children if a dog has feathers or fur? What about an owl, bear… etc.

<h3>Talk about Bird Care</h3>
Talk about what a bird eats, going to the Vet for shots, grooming, and the things an owner needs to do keep the Bird healthy.

<h3>Field Trip Ideas</h3>
Visit a Pet Store or a Veterinarian’s Office
Have a parent bring in a Bird
Have a Veterinarian visit your center
Have A Humane Society Member visit your center
Have a parent read a story about a bird.

<h3>Birdie Says:</h3>
Played like Simon Says.

<h3>Birdie May I?</h3>
The old game, Mother May I, but replace “Mother” with “Birdie.”

<h3>Sand and Water Table</h3>
Provide the children with many seeds in the sand and water table, measuring cups and funnels.

<h3>Duck, Duck, GOOSE!</h3>

<h3>Special Song</h3>
sung to “Where is Thumbkin?”
My bird is special,
My bird is special,
Yes he is,
Yes he is,
My bird is special,
My bird is special,
Yes he is,
Yes he is.

<h2>Dramatic Play</h2>

<h3>Pretend to be a Veterinarian</h3>
Provide your children with stuffed birds, play stethoscopes, and bandages for the children to play with.

<h3>Pretend to be a Bird</h3>

<h3>Play Puppets</h3>

Puppets are always a great addition to any dramatic play area, add an Emperor Penguin Puppet, or a Snowy Owl Puppet, or other stuffed birds for the children to play with.