Nature – Bird Games
Bird Games
(adapted from Cornell Lab K12 Education)
The Bird Beak Challenge:
Gather items to represent different types of food that birds might eat. Be creative and use what you already have at home. Have at least 10 of each item.
Some suggestions are:
- noodles (caterpillars)
- beans (seeds)
- sprinkles (tiny insects)
- dry cereal (larger insects).
Gather items to represent different types of beaks that birds have.
Some suggestions are:
- clothespin
- toothpick
- tweezers
- chopsticks
- scissors
Get a small cup. This will represent the bird’s stomach.
How to Play:
- Put one hand behind your back. Using one “beak” at a time and one type of “food” at a time see how many pieces of each type of “food” you can pick up in 15 seconds.
- YOU CAN ONLY PICK UP PIECE OF FOOD AT A TIME and YOU MUST PUT IT INTO THE CUP BEFORE GETTING ANOTHER PIECE!
- See which beak picks up which type of food the best.
- After you have tried each type of beak with each type of food, mix all the types of “food” together and see which beak picks up the most types in 15 seconds.
- Challenge other members of your family to see how well they can do in the Bird Beak Challenge!
- When you go outside and see birds think about what type of beak they have and what type of food they are able to eat the best. If you observe them eating you will be able to figure it out!
The Family Bird Nest Challenge
You can play this challenge both indoors or outdoors.
Indoors:
Build a nest that can fit your whole family. You can use pillows, blankets, whatever materials that you have easily available at home.
Outdoors:
Find natural materials to create a nest that will fit your whole family. Take a photo if you want to remember the moment and be sure to return the materials from where you found them.
Nest Search
Search your yard or local park for birds’ nests.
Look in bushes, trees and even the eaves of buildings.
If you find a nest with eggs or baby birds please observe it from a distance.
Please leave even unoccupied nests alone as they may be used again one day.
Baby Bird Race
Gather something to represent bugs, maybe rice or beans or similar objects.
Place the “bugs” in a bowl across the room (or if outside across the yard).
Place an empty bowl on the opposite side of the room or yard.
Each person take turns being a parent bird. They must carry one “bug” at a time across the playing area and place it in the empty bowl. They should flap their wings too!
See how many bugs each person can bring to the baby birds in 1 minute.