BIRDS

Peck, Peck, Peck

Peck, peck, peck
On the soft brown egg.
Out comes a neck.
Out comes a leg.

How does a bird
Who's not been about
Discover the secret
Of how to get out?

Peepers

Let's make a peeping chick. You will need a red or yellow plastic cup, wiggly eyes, markers, string, and a paper clip for this project. First, punch a hole in the bottom of the cup with a hammer and nail. (An adult will need to do this.) Next, cut an 18" piece of string and thread it through the hole. Turn the cup upside down. Tie a paper clip to the end of the string outside the cup as shown. Add eyes and a beak to the cup. Pull on the string. Nothing happens. Wet the string and then pull on it. Ohhh! It makes a noise. Pull in a jerking motion and it will sound just like a chick.

What's in an Egg?

Have children brainstorm animals that come from eggs. Write a list on the board as they suggest them. Demonstrate how to make a flip book by folding a sheet of paper into a hotdog, a hamburger, and a packet of fries. Open and cut on the folds to the middle as shown. Fold in half to make the flips. Children draw four ovals ("eggs") on the front of each flap. Next, have them open the flap and draw something that you could find in an egg. (Remind them to put a different type of animal in each egg!) When they fold the flips back down and hold their book up to a window, they will see the little "critters" in their eggs.

Nest

Here's an art project to follow up the Baby Bird Story. Give each child a lunch sack and demonstrate how to open it up. Next, starting at the top of the sack roll out and down as you scrunch the bag into a nest. Children can cut up green paper to make grass for the nest. Then let them make a bird from construction paper and tissue paper to go in their nest. Hint! There are many great books to tie in with this project and discussions about eggs. (HORTON HATCHES AN EGG, THE MIXED UP NEST, ARE YOU MY MOTHER?, WHO STOLE THE FARMER'S HAT?, and HOW FLETCHER WAS HATCHED are just a few.)

Baby Bird Story

Click to download a story where a sheet of paper turns into a baby bird. Your children will want to hear it over and over and over again!

Treats to Eat

This isn't very healthy, but it sure is fun. You will need rice crispy treats, marshmallow chicks, and jelly beans. After the children have washed their hands, give them a rice crispy treat and ask them to mold it into a nest. Next, give them a jelly bean (egg) to put in their nest. Finally, they get to put a little bird on top of the egg. Encourage them to tell a story about the treat as they eat it.