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birds

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

June 4, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today we are creating a toucan habitat diorama. Also, look at my page Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon and Rainforest Activities for Kids or more ideas, crafts and activities.

Our diorama resembles the rainforest canopies of Central and South America where the toucan make their home.

High above the ground, where the covering is lush and thick, Toucans build their nests.

They build them in hollowed out tree cavities sleeping in groups of 5 or 6.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

They very rarely fly down to the forest floor.

Also, they are prey for forest eagles, hawks, owls, boas, and jaguars.

We are creating a tropical rainforest paradise that is perfect for a bright toucan to hide out in.

It is complete with a unique waterfall just like you might find in the Lacandon Jungle, Mexico or Kaieteur Falls in the Amazon.

This is a pretty safe hot glue craft even for younger kids as they only have to squeeze the glue gun to create their piece and do not touch the glue until it’s completely cooled.

They may just need a little bit of help attaching the waterfall.

What better way to learn about this fascinating and beautiful bird than to study its habitat with a unique rainforest diorama.

5 Fun Facts About Toucans

  1. Toucans use their massive beaks to attract mates, intimidate predators, to reach food that would otherwise be out of reach, and to control their body temperature by regulating blood flow through it.
  2. Vocabulary alert- They are ‘monomorphic’ which means that there is no color difference in males and females, both are equally colorful.
  3. Toucans range in size from the toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) that can be up to 24” down to the tawny-tufted toucanet (Selenidera nattereri) at just 12.5”.
  4. Toucans hang out in groups of 3 to 12, but also as large as groups of 20.
  5. They are very important to the biome of the rainforest. They eat a variety of native fruits and spread the seeds via their droppings, which helps keep the plants growing and maintains the forest’s diversity.
How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Next, add a few more ideas to bring your toucan habitat diorama to life.

Toucan Habitat Resources

  • Toucans! My Incredible World Picture Book
  • If you want another toucan activity that is especially great for younger kids make these. Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • Watch All About Toucans to see the big beaked beauties in action.
  • You can include toucans or any rainforest creature in this unique and easy Rainforest Triorama with kids project
How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Finally, look at how to make this fun toucan shoebox diorama.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

You will need:

  • Glue gun/sticks
  • Box/shoebox
  • Greenery
  • Plastic toucan figure
  • Green and blue craft paint
  • Rocks and sticks
  • Paintbrushes
  • Silicone mat

These messy mats are a must for any project, and they work well to contain paint, glue, playdough, or any other mess.

Perfect for glue gun “sculptures”, they allow you to peel it away so easily.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

First, decide which way you want to design your box.

We opted to put our box vertically so that we could maximize our waterfall and canopy height.

Paint the inside with thick blobby layers of different greens to create a thick full background, leaving some space for the blue of the waterfall.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Let the paint dry (or use a blow dryer to move it along a little faster).

Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Then paint your blue waterfall from the top down and on the bottom inside of the box to create a little pool.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Allow the paint to dry completely, while you are waiting you can create the waterfall

Lay out your silicone mat and drizzle hot glue in continuous motions up and down as tall and as wide as you like.

Be sure to overlap each of the layers so that each strand of glue is touching in multiple areas.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Allow glue to cool and harden, add more to the base of the waterfall for where it splashes up as it hits the pool.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Once your glue is hardened you can dab a bit of blue on the glue or leave it clear.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

When the paint is dry inside your habitat you can begin to assemble it.

Place some hot glue along the top and bottom of your waterfall and layer over where you painted it in the box.

Drip additional hot glue to attach it into place and fill it out as you like.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Next, glue in some rocks around the pool and secure some sticks from the yard to use as tree trunks.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Then, attach greenery to the “trees” as well as on the ground to create a thick dense rainforest

Finally, add in your toucan and other animals if you would like to represent various parts of the rainforest.

How To Make A Shoebox Toucan Habitat Diorama With Waterfall

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, bird, birds, diorama, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, toucan

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

April 18, 2024 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

There are so many fun facts about swan to turn a simple unit study into something more. Also, you’ll love my post How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan.

You could keep it simple, just focus on the swan, a variety of aquatic birds, or even expand into an entire pond unit study.

Swans are one of the most eye-catching aquatic birds, with their long, elegant necks and large size.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

They are found in temperate environments, preferring lowland and freshwater wetlands.

Also, they take to man-made artificial water sources such as reservoirs, gravel pits, ornamental lakes, and even canals.

We are creating a sweet but simple canvas swan “painting” with a pair of little hands and some paint.

Then you can also dive into fun facts about swans and check out my suggestions for more books and activities.      

Do you have swans in your area?

Take a few hours to go enjoy them in person and remember that processed white bread is not good for them.

If you want to feed these feathered friends take things like grains, vegetable matter, corn, chopped cabbage, spinach, frozen peas as well as swan and duck food pellets from a feed store.

Swan Books and Resources

Next, add some of these resources to your unit study.

7 Swan Quick Unit Study Resources

Read The Trumpet of The Swan as your read aloud during your study, it is a wonderful classic by E.B. White..

The Trumpet of the Swan

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.

Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection—he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Needle Felting: The Swan

Challenge yourself to make this needlefelted swan next, a beautiful handiwork craft.

Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Paper roll swan craft

These swans are particularly simple to create, the first time we made them was back when the girls were princess-obsessed preschoolers.

Photo Credit: backyardsummercamp.com

Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial

Create a paper wonder by following this Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet

Take in some of the beautiful music and dance of Tchaikovsky’s  SwanLake

White Swan Figurine Animals Figures Project Diorama Model

4PCS farm animals figures. Kid can use these plastic animals farm toys to build their own farm up. Farm sets for kids can bring happy.

Farm Animal figurines farm toys set made of environment friendly materials.Good quality and durable to deal with lots of play.

Swan Lake

A prince's love for a swan queen overcomes an evil sorcerer's spell in this fairy tale adaptation of the classic ballet

Next, look at these facts about swans.

7 Fun Facts About Swan

  1. Most swans are found in the northern United States, Canada, and Alaska.
  2. Swans can sleep on either land or the water. They can either sleep while standing on one leg or while they are floating in the water.
  3. All the mute swans in England and Wales are owned by the Crown of England.
  4. While you will most commonly see white swans there is also a black swan. Black swans are native to Australia and New Zealand.
  5. Baby swans are called cygnets, female swans are called Pen, and males are called Cob.
  6. The term ‘swan song’ comes from the ancient Greek belief that a swan sang a song of death when its life would end.
  7. Swans are very important to their aquatic ecosystems. They eat plants and small aquatic animals and help spread seeds and aquatic animal eggs by way of their feces. Their swimming stirs up sediment from the bottom to help circulate nutrients and support the health of plants and fish below the surface.
7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Too, another favorite resource we love is The Big Book of Birds.

It is a wonderful resource for all things bird, an oversized hardback it has a pretty two-page spread on swans and plenty of info on habits, nests, eggs, and habitats of birds in general.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Finally, look at how to create a hand print swan.

How to Create a Handprint Swan

You will need:

  • A canvas
  • 2 shades of blue craft paint
  • Green craft paint
  • White craft paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Paint pens
  • A little hand
7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

First, choose two shades of blue and let your child paint the sky one shade and water at the bottom the other.

Don’t forget to have them paint the sides of the canvas the corresponding colors all the way around to finish it off.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Allow the paint to dry, if you want to speed up the process a bit you can use a blow dryer on low to get it to dry to the touch so you can get to the next step.

Paint your child’s hand entirely white and have them press it into the water portion thumbs up, if you want two swans like I have here paint the other hand and press it into the other side.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Use a paintbrush to create the rest of the curving neck.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Allow the swans to dry and use paint pens to add details like eyes, beaks, and wings.

You can also add in some details like grass and clouds.

Allow it to dry fully and it is ready to hang up.

7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

2 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, handprint, hands-on, hands-on activities, life science, science, swan, waterfowl

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

April 5, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

There was a menagerie of animals in The Swiss Family Robinson book, making it a great topic for a zoology study. Also, you’ll love more ideas on my post Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study.

The Robinsons used many items to help them survive, the least of which is the animals they brought from the wrecked ship.

And they used animals found on the island.

For example, they were used for meat, milk, companionship, and to lighten the workload.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

The land where the Robinsons ended up was thought to have been the East Indies which back at that time, in 1812, would have been the region of Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and New Guinea.

No doubt it is a very diverse location for flora and fauna.

They were surrounded by exotic creatures they had never seen and only some read about.

One of the creatures on the island that the Robinsons turned into a pet was a parrot. In honor of that parrot, we are going to create an adorable no sew felt version of our own.

Parrots are incredibly smart creatures, who also live long lives, especially in captivity.

You can use this felt parrot craft as part of your Swiss Family Robinson animal study, with a pirate unit, or a tropical bird unit.

More The Swiss Family Robinson Activities

  • Where Did Swiss Family Robinson Land And Their Unique Homes | Cave Activity
  • From Switzerland to the Author of Swiss Family Robinson Quick Study
  • How to Create Swiss Family Treehouse Blueprints With Kids
  • What is the Swiss Family Robinson About | Simple Jeopardy Style Game
  • How to Make Adorable Swiss Family Robinson Book Characters Bookmarks
  • Exciting Swiss Family Robinson Activities | From Oyster To Pearl
  • The Swiss Family Robinson Fun and Easy Movie Night Ideas
  • Embrace Island Life: How To Eat A Coconut Like Swiss Family Robinson
  • Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft
  • Lost In Adventure: 10 Books Like Swiss Family Robinson
  • How to Build a LEGO Swiss Family Robinson STEM Challenge Treehouse
  • Survival to Inspiration The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Brick Book
  • How To Make A Swiss Family Robinson Map | Easy Swiss Geography
  • DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas
  • Simple Candle
  • Hunting Deer
  • How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids

Books for Learning About The Swiss Family Robinson

Next, add some of these books and resources to your unit study.

8 Books & Resources for Learning About The Swiss Family Robinson

Add some of these books to your unit study of The Swiss Family Robinson and their adventures on a deserted island.

Swiss Family Robinson (Illustrated Classic): 200th Anniversary Collection

More than 100 original illustrations by Louis Rhead. You want to read this book with illustrations.

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world.
Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

Tracks, Scats and Signs (Take Along Guides)

Become a nature detective with this illustrative, engaging and fun Take-Along-Guide. You may not know where to look, or what to look for, but animal signs are everywhere and this guide will help you learn how to read them. You'll learn how to spot and identify common clues that 17 wildlife species leave behind in the woods, in the fields and along ponds.

Swiss Family Robinson Movie

The heroic tale of the courageous exploits of the Robinson family after they are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Using teamwork and ingenuity, they overcome the obstacles of nature and transform their new home into a "civilized" community.

Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids

From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.

Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set

Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set: Titles In This Set: The Blizzard Challenge The Desert Challenge The Jungle Challenge The Sea Challenge The River Challenge The Earthquake Challenge The Volcano Challenge The Safari Challenge The Cave Challenge The Mountain Challenge The Arctic Challenge The Sailing Challenge

Knot Tying Kit | Pro-Knot Best Rope Knot Cards, two practice cords and a carabiner

By Pro-Knot, the number one trusted name in Knots with over 7,000 5 Star reviews! This complete knot tying KIT includes everything you need to learn and practice how to tie 23 essential rope knots. The six card/twelve page waterproof plastic card set contains 23 best all purpose rope knots
clearly illustrated and described, bound together with a no-rust brass grommet in the corner!

Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America: More than 150 Delicious Recipes Using Nature's Edibles

Edible wild plants are nature’s natural food source, growing along roadsides, sprouting in backyards, and blooming in country fields. North America’s diverse geography overflows with edible plant species.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book

Also, here are some of the animals mentioned in the classic story that you could use to springboard a science lesson from a literature study.

Moreover, you can have your child write about, paint, make out of LEGO, make a minecraft collection of exotic animals, make one from playdough and learn a few facts, or even create our fun felt parrot below.

  • Jackal
  • Buffalo
  • Ostrich
  • Monkey – Look at my post Preschool Fun Monkey Study
  • Peccaries
  • Muskrat
  • Lions – 6 Facts About Mountain Lions and How to Make a Fun Mountain Lion Diorama
  • Bears – Daniel Boone Explorer Black Bear Unit Study and Fun Edible Bear Poop
  • Hippo
  • Condor
  • Flamingos – Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
  • Onager
  • Cuscus
  • Eagle – Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Parrot
  • Lobster
  • Kangaroo
  • Green Iguana – 10 Amazon Rainforest Lizards Facts and How to Make A Fun Iguana
  • Oceanic White tip Shark
  • Capybara
  • Civet Cat
Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Additionally, here are more learning about parrot resources.

Parrot Resources

Our felt parrot craft is the easily identifiable and popular Scarlet Maw.

And so that you know, macaws are parrots, but not all parrots are macaws.

The Scarlet Macaw are the largest parrots in the world and can reach up to 33” from beak to tail.

  • You can use this gorgeous collection of birds to create a diorama, create a tropical sensory bin, as models for drawing and painting or just for dramatic play.
  • Littles will enjoy these Macaw and Toucan Paper Plate Crafts.
  • If you want to dive deeper into parrots grab a wonderful book to support your literature unit like About Parrots: A Guide for Children.
  • For middle and highschool you could include the challenge of building a Parrot LEGO set.
Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Finally, look at how to make this easy parrot craft.

How to Make an Easy Parrot Craft With Kids

You will need:

  • Red, green, blue, yellow, black felt
  • Cotton stuffing.
  • Hot glue
  • Scissors
  • Pinking shears
  • Googly eyes
Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

First, use a pencil to trace a large circle for your parrot’s head and then a leaf shape overlapping the head for the body of the parrot.

You can make it as large or as small as you like but if you make it too small it’s difficult to stuff with the wider hot glue seam.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Lay it over a second felt sheet and cut out the body shape twice.

Easy Parrot Craft

Run hot glue along the edge of one piece all the way around except the head and press the second piece into it firmly, allowing it to cool and harden.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Stuff the body with cotton, using a pencil to push it all the way in and fill it out.

Glue the head all the way around except for about 1” where you would like the beak to be and fill the head with more cotton stuffing the same way.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Glue and pinch the final opening closed.

Draw and cut out a pair of eyes-white and smaller black circles, as well as 2 beak halves.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Glue the two halves of the beak together over the edge of the parrot’s face, you can use them to cover up your final seam.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Glue the eyes into place, layering black circles over white.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

To create wings, stack the colors you would like to use and cut them into a rectangle the width and length of the parrot’s body.

Stack and spread them out vertically so that a little of each color shows at the bottom. Repeat with a second stack.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Now use pinking shears to round them and give them a bit more featherlike shape.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Do the same technique to create the tail but make it narrower, stack colors so that you can see all and use pinking shears to trim and round the edges.

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Glue and pinch over the back end. Be sure to glue every layer together one by one.

He is a cutie, isn’t he?

Animals in The Swiss Family Robinson Book | Parrot Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life science, parrot, science, science fiction, Swiss Family Robinson

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

January 13, 2024 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a B is for bird craft, a tutorial for a toilet paper roll bluebird and resources for an entire bird-themed preschool study. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

What a fun nature topic for littles!

Backyard birds are plentiful almost anywhere and you can even double up on the B’s and cover blue jays, blue-footed boobies, bald eagles, or bluebirds like we are today.

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

There are a lot of topics to choose from when doing a bird unit study.

Focus on birds in your area, nests, eggs, feathers, bird calls, or birds’ life cycles.

Whatever you want to concentrate on, hands-on fun activities are best with preschoolers and help them learn while having a blast.

Use these bird figures throughout your study with playdough, in sensory bins, create nests for them made from sticks gathered from the yard.

Place one in front of your child to inspire them to draw their version, and try to find each one in the books you read throughout the week.

More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

  • Alphabet Letter A is for Apple Craft for Preschool | Fun Apple Study
  • Letter O is for Owl Preschool Craft | Fun Great Horned Owl Study
  • Alphabet Letter H Handprint Craft For Fun Preschool Horse Study
  • How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts
  • Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile
  • Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study
  • Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
  • W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
  • Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study
  • Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft
  • B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study
  • X is for X Ray Craft | Unique Crayon Resist Skeleton
B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

Language Arts Focus Day 1

I like to start a new letter unit by grabbing whatever letter tiles we have for that letter, letter magnets, and flashcards and putting them out for a child to investigate and study.

They can be used throughout the week for any language arts activity.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Place a white sheet of paper in the bottom of a shallow container. Then cover it with a thin layer of bird seed and provide your child with a few flashcards with letters and numbers.

Make them yourself, or just let them practice freely with this simple letter-writing tray.

Book- An Egg is Quiet has wonderful illustrations and simple language. It teaches about different eggs- from birds to sea turtles. This series also contains a Nest is Noisy.

Craft/Activity- Try this printable for Bird Letter Recognition. It’ so much fun for your child to feed crackers with letters on them as they say the sound to the bird.

Song/Fingerplay- Start off practicing the sound of the letter B. Learn what upper and lowercase look like, words that start with b, and even the sign for B. Letter B | Sing and Learn the Letters of the Alphabet.

Snack- The early bird gets the worm or so they say. So, start your b is for bird craft unit with a healthier version of dirt and worms that is delicious to eat.

Science Focus Day 2

Science can focus heavily on the life cycle or the different species, the parts of a bird, or feathers. Or whatever you want to talk about with your child.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Print this fun Letter B book for kids to flip through, color, or trace words and letters as they like and they can reference tit throughout the week.

Book- For a beautiful reference that covers a wide variety of birds from backyard birds to flightless birds, swans, nests, eggs and everything in between The Big Book of Birds is the one. 

It is an oversized book perfect for little hands with charming illustrations they will love.

Craft/Activity- Make a toilet roll bluebird. See below for instructions on making this bird, then when it is done use a reference book to help identify the different parts of a bird.

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

Song/Fingerplay-Learn all about different birds and some of their characteristics in the catchy Birds Song.

Snack-Wow what a fun idea this Robin Bread–aka PB and J Shaped Like a Bird big visual impact with little effort is my kind of treat!

Math Focus Day 3

Count feathers, and eggs in the refrigerator, count how many robins you see in the backyard today.  Simple preschool math is all around you and it is so easy to incorporate the bird theme.

Letter/Sound Recognition- I don’t always encourage technology but it also has its place even in preschool. This is one of my favorite products for teaching in preschool.

It comes with the entire alphabet in magnets in the base.

When the letter is placed in the base it tells the child the name of the letter as well as the sound that it makes.

I think this is a great independent practice activity and can be used throughout learning the entire alphabet.

Book- Incorporate another activity into math focus through reading Counting is For The Birds where your child gets to count backyard birds as they come to eat at the feeder.

Craft/Activity- Grab an inexpensive pack of colorful feathers, you can even find them at Dollar Tree and use them to sort by color. 

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

Arrange them from shortest to longest.

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

Or simply for counting and basic addition and subtraction.

Song/Finger Play- Here you will find the words and hand motions for the simple rhyme Little Robin Redbreast.

Snack- This quick video shows you how to make an Apple Bird Snack full of healthy fruits in a fun design your child will love.

History/Geography Focus Day 4

What better topic to focus on today for geography than learning about your own state’s bird?

 If you don’t already know, find out what your state bird is, and do a little research on it. If you want to expand on that look into other states around you or maybe the state where Grandma lives.

Grab a map and look for the states that you’re going to be researching, it’s never too early to introduce simple math skills.

Letter/Sound Recognition- Grab a brown paper lunch bag and right lower and uppercase B on it, go around the house and find as many objects as you can that start with the letter b and place them in the bag.

Have your child draw out the objects one by one and practice the beginning sound before the word like a bird.

Some ideas are a piece of paper in the color blue, a butterfly, birds, a ball, a bow, and letter b tiles. 

B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

Book- Since we are learning about state birds today, I found this cute book- United Tweets of America.

Song/Fingerplay- Sing a Song of Sixpence

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocketful of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds began to sing.
Wasn’t that a dainty dish
To sit before the king?
The king was in his counting house,
Counting out his money.
The queen was in the parlor,
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes,
When down came a blackbird
And pecked off her nose.
They sent for the king’s doctor,
Who sewed it on again?
He sewed it on so neatly,
The seam was never seen.

Snack- Owl Rice Cakes are relatively healthy and are a great way to talk about the parts of a bird as you build his wings, eyes, and beak.

B is For Bird Craft Preschool Theme

While you teach your preschooler about the letter sound of B, add some of these fun books and resources to your unit study.

Birds Figurines, 23pcs Realistic Eagle Parrot Robin Owl

Early Educational Toys - These Parrot Birds Figures Set Are Great For Education Purposes. It Will Help To Improve Children's Concentration And Outsight, Develop And Train Their Imagination And Creativity.

An Egg Is Quiet:

This stunningly beautiful and wonderfully informative book from award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston makes for a fascinating introduction to the vast and amazing world of eggs. Featuring poetic text and an elegant design, this acclaimed book teaches children countless interesting facts about eggs. Full of wit and charm, An Egg Is Quiet will at once spark the imagination and cultivate a love of science.

The Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

Following up the hugely successful The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, and The Big Book of the Blue, The Big Book of Birds is a fact-filled tour of the world’s most wonderful winged creatures. Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.

LeapFrog Tad's Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set Small

  • Choose a level and push the letter tiles into the letter slot to reinforce letter names, phonics and word skills . Magnetic back makes it great for fridge play in the kitchen
  • Counting Is for the Birds

    Count up to twenty colorful backyard birds as they gather to crack seeds at the feeder while a cunning cat lurks below! What will be the fate of these colorful birds? The surprise ending will delight readers of all ages.Frank Mazzola's striking digital paintings, coupled with his lighthearted verse and engaging facts, will make bird lovers out of young and old alike.

    United Tweets of America: 50 State Birds Their Stories, Their Glories

    Welcome to the United Tweets Pageant! This colorful parade of state birds competing to be Top Tweet will have readers of all ages laughing aloud. From Alabama's Yellowhammer to Wyoming's Western Meadowlark, each bird is a winner, and each bird loves to show off the state it calls home. Hudson Talbott has created an inspired introduction to states and their birds. His vibrant, detailed illustrations infuse the birds' interactions with energy and humor, making this a great way to spark kids' interest in United States history, geography, and, of course, wildlife!

    A Bird Is a Bird

    What is a bird? And how is it different from a mammal or a reptile?Some birds are huge and some are tiny. Some birds are fantastically colorful and some are plain. But what do all birds share? Early nonfiction expert Lizzy Rockwell explains that birds have beaks, wings, and feathers, and hatch from eggs. Other animals might have some of these features in common, but only a bird has them all. Only a bird is a bird! A clear text and beautiful illustrations cover dozens of different birds and their shared characteristics, as well as the unique qualities of unusual birds, such as penguins and peacocks.

    Language Arts Focus Day 5

    Three basic foundations for language arts in preschool are:

    • Letter recognition,
    • Learning letter sounds, and
    • Learning to form letters.

    Choose fun hands-on activities to teach these to your child and use repetition as well. 

    Book –Only A Bird is a Bird and this book teaches children all about what makes a bird as well as some of the differences with splashy colorful illustrations and language. It is perfect for early years without talking down to them.

    Craft/Activity- Grab your letter tiles and spell out a few bird-related words like bird, egg, nest, and feather. Remove the beginning letter, set it near the words in a pile and read each of the words to your child without the beginning sound.

    Help your child determine which letter makes the beginning sound for that word. It is not important that they can read the word itself.

    This is simply helping them to make a connection and understand that letters put together to make words and reinforce the beginning letter sound with the actual image of the letter.

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    Song/Fingerplay- Two Little Blackbirds has cute hand motions that are fun and easy to learn, this will be a very popular chant for weeks to come.

    Snack- These Crow-eos are too cute but are very easy to make for a quick and simple bird-themed snack.

    Toilet Paper Roll Bluebird

    You will need:

    • Empty toilet paper roll
    • Blue construction paper or craft foam
    • Yellow construction paper or craft foam
    • Rusty red craft paint
    • Black pipe cleaner
    • Google eyes
    • Gluestick
    • Scissors
    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    First, cut your blue craft foam just under 4” tall by 5 ¾” around and glue it to the empty toilet paper roll.

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    At the same time cut a small tail and a pair of wings out of the same color.

    To give a little texture to the feathers you can make little snips along the edge of each.

    Then cut a small triangle of yellow for the beak.

     And to give your child a little more Independence you can either allow them to cut it out completely independently or trace the shape and let them practice using scissors by cutting it out themselves.

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    Now paint the belly of the bluebird with rusty red paint.

    If you don’t want to use paint you could also just have them glue red paper to the bird.

    Mixed media projects are a great way to introduce your preschooler to new art mediums.

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    Twist two little bird feet out of black pipe cleaners and hot glue them inside the toilet paper roll so they just peek out.

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    Once the glue on the belly has dried your child can begin assembling the bluebird by attaching the wings, beak, and google eyes.

    For a more secure hold, you can use hot glue but if you want to let your child do it they can use regular school glue and pin them into place with either tape or clothes pins until the glue dries.

    You can either stop here if you’re happy with your bluebird or place a scrap piece of the blue on top and around the circle shape to finish off his head, secure in place with glue

    B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study

    1 CommentFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Preschool Tagged With: birds, homeschool preschool, homeschoolreading, letter sounds, life science, nests, phonics, preschool, preschool skills, reading

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    January 12, 2024 | 1 Comment
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    N is for nest handprint and this opens the door for a wonderful and exciting bird unit study. Also, I have more alphabet letter fun on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

    This unit will keep your preschooler busy and entertained while they learn all about the world of birds.

    You can study birds, their habits and diet.

    And focus on birds in your area, as well as the types of nests that they build.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    This is a wonderful zoology unit for preschoolers. You don’t even have to leave your backyard to study these creatures.

    I have hands-on fun, fingerplays and tasty on-theme snacks.

    Also, there are colorful storybooks as well as living science books.

    Spread it out over a week.

    Or do a couple of days each week to make a longer, low-stress unit for learning about the letter N.

    Be sure and get out this week on a few nature walks. Try to locate different bird nests and birds in the area.

    More How to Homeschool Preschool Letter of the Week Activities

    • Alphabet Letter A is for Apple Craft for Preschool | Fun Apple Study
    • Letter O is for Owl Preschool Craft | Fun Great Horned Owl Study
    • Alphabet Letter H Handprint Craft For Fun Preschool Horse Study
    • How To Make An Alphabet Teeth Cleaning Activity | 5 Preschool Letter T Crafts
    • Alphabet Letter R is for Rainbow Craft for Preschool | Fun Rain Mobile
    • Alphabet Letter M is for Monkey Handprint Preschool Fun Monkey Study
    • Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
    • W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
    • Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study
    • Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft
    • B is for Bird Craft | Free Preschool Bluebird Study
    • X is for X Ray Craft | Unique Crayon Resist Skeleton

    Language Arts Focus Day 1

    N-n-n-n is for nest, begin your day and each day of the study by repeating the sound for N. Too, share a few words that begin with it. 

    Letter/Sound Recognition N is for nest handprint – Letter N Song introduces not only the sound N makes but the fact that it is a consonant. And there are a plethora of words that begin with N in a catchy repetitive way.

    Book- Take your child through a fun lesson on the different animals that utilize nests by simply reading a story and looking at pictures in A Nest is Noisy.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Craft/Activity- The CUTEST bird nest sensory bin.

    Song/Fingerplay- You can learn the simple motions for Here is a Nest For a Robin in this video and teach them to your child to use throughout the week.

    Snack- How sweet is this little bird in a nest? A light snack that is a wonderful way to kick off your bird study –Birdie Kix Snack.

    Science Focus Day 2

    By preschool, most children understand that birds build and live in nests, they might not know that many animals make their home in what is still called a nest.

    This is a great opportunity to talk about using books videos and other resources to share different types of nests.

    Letter/Sound Recognition- Grab a set of do-a-dots if you don’t already have them, they are useful for structured activities like the Letter N Dot Painting page but kids also love them for open-ended art.

    Book- Birds, Nests, and Eggs is a wonderful book that makes a great field guide as well as a reference for home use.

    Craft/Activity- Make a little tray of playdough, birds, and small twigs, leaves, and bits from the yard. Build different bird nests with playdough like a cup nest, cavity, and pendant Playdough is For The Birds.

    Song/Fingerplay- Found a Feather to the tune of Oh My Darling Clementine.

    Snack- This snack is a simple idea that can be gathered with a variety of things you have you your pantry.

    Gather up some items that birds eat like nuts, seeds, and small fruits, (maybe gummy worms for fun) to create this Bird-themed snack.

    Math Focus Day 3

    Count eggs cut out of construction paper then practice adding or subtracting one or two.

    Make piles of different amounts and teach your child more or less, cut eggs of different sizes out and have them order them from smallest to largest.

    Letter/Sound Recognition- This Cardboard Roll Letter Match Puzzle for Kids is a wonderful hands-on activity that builds fine motor skills while children learn to identify letters.

    You can put just one letter in uppercase and lowercase or put several letters they are familiar with to practice.

    Book- This book, Nature Anatomy, will carry you through years until it falls apart from being a well-loved favorite resource.

    For birds alone, the information is plentiful from the anatomy of a bird to many common types, feathers, bird calls, different nests, eggs, bird behavior, and a wide variety of species like water birds or birds of prey.

    Craft/Activity–You just need a printer and a simple egg-shaped manipulative to use these Egg Counting Mats for counting and number recognition.

    Song/Fingerplay- The Bird Song for Kids is a colorful way to introduce your preschooler to a variety of birds and the different things that make them birds.

    Snack- Look at this little lineup of adorable Chocolate Strawberry Birds, and create a treat that is mostly healthy with a touch of sweet treat that fits perfectly with the theme.

    History/Geography Focus Day 4

    Birds and nests are a great landing spot for learning about habitats that fall under geography as well as science, you don’t have to focus on nests though.

    Begin there talking about how birds build their nests among humans as well as further out in more nature-related environments then expand to other animal habitats.

    Letter/Sound Recognition- Jack Hartmann is a treasure for preschool songs, covering such a wide variety including specific to each letter of the alphabet like The Letter N, even demonstrating how to write it in the air.

    Book- Bird Builds a Nest is a science storybook telling the story of a little bird doing what birds do, building a strong and secure nest for her future baby

    Craft/Activity- Handprint bird nest- See below for instructions.

    As your child glues on the additional items for their nest talk about how birds gather items and build their nest as well as what they use them for.

    Song/Fingerplay- If you are not already familiar with it The Green Grass Grows All Around is lively and repeats verses over and over building from a hole in the ground to a nest, the prettiest nest that you ever did see and beyond.

    Snack- Owl Strawberries (in a nest) are just darling and are a healthy snack with just a bit of sweetness added to create a fun treat that they will love.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint Books and Resources

    Add these fun books and resources to make learning fun for your preschooler.

    A Nest Is Noisy (Family Treasure Nature Encylopedias)

    Fans will rejoice at the first sight of A Nest Is Noisy," promises School Library Journal, and they're right. From the award-winning creators of An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, A Rock Is Lively, and A Beetle Is Shy comes this gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests, from those of tiny bee hummingbirds to those of orangutans high in the rainforest canopy. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts and will spark the imaginations of children whether in a classroom reading circle or on a parent's lap.

    15 Colors Washable Markers

    This dot markers set contains 15 basic colors: red, orange red, orange, yellow, emerald green, green sky blue, blue, violet purple, caramel, sepia, light gray and black. The variety of colors is that kids can create and use their imagination to paint.

    Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take Along Guides)

    A fun, informative take-along guide that will help children identify 15 birds. Kid will also learn how and where birds build their homes and all about their young. Plus, the guide features activities that are fun and easy to do. There's also a seven-page scrapbook for drawings and notes.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. Safety tips are provided and interesting activities are suggested. Color illustrations enhance the presentation.

    Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

    See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

    Bird Builds a Nest: A First Science Storybook

    It’s time for Bird to build her nest! Follow her as she pulls a worm out of the ground, lifts some twigs that are just the right size, and pushesthe twigs into place. Uh-oh — one of the twigs falls to the ground! But after a day of hard work, Bird’s nest is ready and waiting. Can you guess what it’s waiting for? Using simple, clear language and beautiful illustrations, this engaging story is the perfect introduction to physical forces for very young readers. A final spread with some simple questions promotes discussion with parents, teachers, or caregivers and encourages readers to think about the concepts introduced.

    A Nest Full of Eggs (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)

    Named a Best Children's Science Book of the Year by Science Books & Films, this picture book shows how the birds develop inside their eggs during the spring; how they mature into fledglings in the summer; how they learn to fly in the fall; and how they leave for warmer climates in winter—only to return when spring comes around again.

    This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It features rich vocabulary and beautiful spreads detailing different bird habitats and feather types. Both text and artwork were vetted for accuracy by Dr. Charles Walcott, Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology and Behavior and former director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

    Language Arts Focus Day 5

    Letter/Sound Recognition- Create a Letter N Smash by writing upper and lowercase N around a piece of colorful construction paper, rolling little balls of playdough, and placing them underneath each letter.

    When they find a N and make its sound they can squish the ball flat.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Book- This sweet living science book follows a family of Robins from building their nest to laying eggs up to when they fly away and start the cycle all over again.

    It gives a nice infographic about the bird’s development in the egg which is great to go with this N is for nest handprint.

    Craft/Activity- Roll a paper bag down and scrunch it up all around to create a basic nest shape. Write lower and uppercase ends on small slips of paper cut into an egg shape.

    You could also add a few other letters your child is familiar with for review. 

    Pull each “egg” out of the nest and make the sound as well as ask your child to identify the name of the letter.

    They can also sort lowercase and uppercase into two piles.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Song/Fingerplay- Nightingale’s Nest is a silly song that reinforces a child’s recognition of the letter N as well as repeating the sound over and over.

    Snack- Let’s end the unit with these Birds Nests Cookies that demonstrate what a bird’s nest looks like and how it protects the little eggs.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Of course, it is not too cute to eat, these are just delicious and not too hard to make.

    Finally, look how to make these adorable N is for nest handprint paper plate birds nest.

    N is for Nest Handprint Paper Plate Birds Nest

    You will need:

    • Paper plate
    • Brown craft paint
    • White or blue construction paper
    • tan/brown construction paper
    • Glue stick

    First, paint your child’s hand brown. Press it down into the center of the plate with the heel of the hand in the middle. Point the fingers outward toward the edges.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Repeat around the plate overlapping some with each handprint.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Allow the paint to dry.

    While waiting you can cut a few egg shapes out of your colored construction paper.

    Then, write lower and upper case N’s.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    Next, cut small strips of brown/tan construction paper, and gather tiny twigs, string, etc..

    Set out the completely dried paper plate nest with some of your N-labeled eggs. Add bits for the nest and let them glue them on to make a full comfy nest for the eggs.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    This is good for building fine motor skills while you talk about how nests are built.

    Alphabet Letter N Is For Nest Handprint & Fun Nests Preschool Craft

    1 CommentFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Preschool Tagged With: birds, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool preschool, nest, preschool

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