Activity: Eat like a bird – Early Learning

Quick summary: In this activity children look closely at bird behaviours. Younger children begin by listening to a range of Australian bird calls and then participate in a simple role-play activity around bird behaviours. Older children are asked to participate in a more complex bird behaviour role play, including investigating how birds eat without using their hands/wings. Older children will also investigate ways to help the birds in their centre yard.

This activity is designed to help connect children to the wonders of the natural world through sensory and play-based learning.

EYLF Learning Outcome	Elaborations
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world	3. Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment
Outcome 4: Children are involved and confident learners	1. Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity 2. Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating 3. Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another

 

Equipment needed: 

• All ages: Images or actual items of relating to birds e.g. feathers, eggs, nest, pictures of birds. Computer or tablet to play bird calls, access to the following website: Top 40 Bird Songs (https://www.birdsinbackyards.net/birds/featured/Top-40-Bird-Songs), Wildlife fact sheet, Bird mask template.
• Ages – 2 to 5: String for hanging food, pieces of food for children to eat such as fruit or bread.

Other resources:

• Cool Australia Biodiversity Digital Library
• Forests fact sheet
• Cool Australia Biodiversity video (see below)

Cool Australia Presents Biodiversity from Cool Australia on Vimeo.

 

The team at Cool Australia continually reviews and refines our Early Learning resources in line with expert advice and current educational practices.