3 Easy Bird Nature Study Activity Ideas

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Spring is in the air. The robins and sparrows have begun chirping in the trees outside, and all sorts of plants have begun to push through the soil! Now is the perfect time to shake out those winter blues and get outside! What better way to do that than with a Bird Nature Study to combine a little learning with a lot of fun?

As you journey into spring, you and your kids are probably excited to get outside and partake in whatever activities are available in the great outdoors (and there are plenty!). This might even be a great time of year to put aside your regularly scheduled school work and get outside and do some nature studies.

Spring is a time when many birds are mating and nesting, which means it is a great time for a Bird Nature Study!

Bird Nature Study

Getting started with a bird nature study may seem difficult, but with just a few simple items you can be up and out in no time! Here are some things you’ll want to take along if you’re serious about doing a homeschool bird nature study.

Bird Nature Study Packing List

Paper or notebook – You might want to take paper and a clipboard outside to make drawings or jot down notes. Then, later on at home, you can transfer these drawings and notes into your nature notebooks.
Pencils and colored pencils – Colored pencils are easier to work with than markers or crayons when it comes to fine details. Good quality colored pencils are important! Prismacolor pencils are a great choice. You might try to watch for sales, but they are definitely worth the money!
Nature field guides – Field guides such as The Handbook of Nature Study (This is a free downloadable version. You can find the print version on Amazon.) are great for putting on your phone or iPad to take outside with you. This works as well as a book on birds that are native to your area.
Binoculars – If you don’t have any handy that is fine too, but when gazing up in the sky, trees, and across fields, binoculars can often be helpful to get a better look at the birds.
Camera – Sometimes it is nice to have a camera to take photos of the birds and their surroundings. You can either print these and use them in your nature notebooks, or you may use them to draw from at home. (It’s not necessary to print the photos in order to draw from them. Just download them onto your computer to make them larger and easier to view details!)
Bird App – If you have a portable device like an iPhone or iPad, you might check out one of the iBird Apps or the Audubon Bird App. For features like search capability, high quality photos, a host of facts, and even audio of the bird calls and sounds, a resource like this is a big bonus for a bird nature study.

Bird Nature Study Activity Ideas

Your kids can create a Nature Notebook or Journal using any sort of paper medium. Use a lined paper spiral notebook, a blank art paper sketch book, plain printer paper, or card stock. Make a creative binding when you are done. In any case, photos, drawings, observations, facts, and art can all be kept and presented in their own nature notebooks.

Here are 10 Reasons to Keep a Nature Journal

These Bird Notebook Pages might help you as you create your own nature journal.

– You can try building birdhouses and feeders for your yard from a kit. It’s also possible to use scrap wood and create a bird condo, birdhouse, or feeder to hang in your yard (on flower hangers or trees).

Along with this, take time to research what types of birds you can attract locally and what you need to attract them. Try making a mason jar bird feeder or a pumpkin bird feeder.

There are lots of great books and field guides about birds. From picture books to fact books, you can head to your local library and bring home a stack of books to explore. Then take them outside under a tree or to the park!

So, don’t be afraid to get out there! I promise you will create awesome memories with your children while getting fresh air and learning along the way!

Tell us what birds you are seeing and share your Bird Nature Study activities and resources with us!