Themes & Activities

Birds
(Open thematic poster - Birds)

Invite your group to become birds. Let them climb, jump, spin, and fly around. Like birds in springtime, choose to be happy, enjoy the sunshine, take long walks, and listen to the birds chirping in the trees.

CIRCLE TIME

Transform your circle time area to make it look like a bird's nest. Glue illustrations on the floor. Add straw and small branches which you can assemble with "Mac-Tac". Discuss how a baby bird is born (hatching), how baby birds are fed, what they eat, how they learn to fly, how birds build their nest, etc.

ACTIVITY SHEET

Birds - Activity sheet (Open activity sheet - Birds) Print and laminate. Children will enjoy guiding the bird towards its prey over and over again using a dry-erase marker.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with the group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game - Birds) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag or in your thematic bins.

ACTIVITIES

Parrot, parrot
Ask a child a question and when he answers, the other children repeat his answer three times, like parrots.

Yes or no?
Place the illustrations from the picture game face down on the table. Have one child pick a card and hold it up so the other children can see it. The child asks his friends questions and tries to guess which bird is on the card he picked. However, the group can only answer "yes" or "no".

Variation: If your group is very young, add illustrations of other animals and simply have children ask questions to determine if they picked a bird or not.

Singing birds
Play music which contains singing birds. Invite children to imitate them.

Flying feathers
Give each child a feather. Place it in the palm of their hand. Ask them to blow on their feather to make it fly.

Flying birds
Children sit in a circle. Each time you say, "The birds are flying", children crouch down and flap their wings. Give various instructions such as: "The dog is flying" or "Nobody moves". Children only move when you say, "The birds are flying".

The cat and the bird
Choose a child to be the cat. The cat is very hungry so he chases all the birds around the daycare. Birds can look for a perch.

Whistle like a bird
Teach children to whistle. I can guarantee they will practice throughout the day! If you are really brave, a great way to practice is with crackers and snack time!

Carrier pigeon
This activity may be done over a short period of time. Decorate a box with your group. This box will be used to deposit mail delivered by the carrier pigeon throughout the theme. (Open model - Carrier pigeon) Print several copies and deposit them here and there within the daycare so children may colour one for another child in the group during free play periods. You can also ask children to suggest kind words they would like to send to a friend. Some examples are: kind, happy, smiling, adorable, beautiful, handsome, smart, charming, cute, gentle, great, etc.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

"Cheerios" necklace
Give each child a string with tape at one end. Have them thread cereal on the string. Hang the necklaces in tree branches and watch the birds enjoy the snack!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Bird mobile
Birds - Mobile (Open craft - Bird mobile) Colour, cut out, and hang from a metal clothes hanger with fishing line.

Bird ball
Blow up a balloon and knot the end. Cover the knot with a beak. Have children make feet and glue them under the balloon. Glue two small eyes and feathers on the balloon and have fun with your very own bird ball!

Binoculars
Use two empty toilet paper rolls to make binoculars. Have children decorate them as they wish. Glue them side by side. Make two small holes on either side of the binoculars and thread a string through them. Children can wear their binoculars around their neck and use them to observe birds when you are outdoors.

COLORING PAGES

Birds - coloring (Open coloring pages theme - Birds) Print a bird for each child and have them glue feathers to it.

SONGS AND RHYMES

Fly away

by: Patricia Morrison

Sung to: Row, row, row your boat

Fly, fly, fly away
In the clear blue sky
Flap your wings, flap your wings,
Flap your wings, flap your wings,
You can fly so high.

Have nice day!

Educatall team

Our job is to make yours easier. Do not hesitate to suggest themes you would like to see us develop. Let us know of any printable documents or tools which could be useful. Send us your comments and suggestions!

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