35 Fun Bird Activities for Preschoolers
Looking for ways to spark joy and learning with your preschooler? Birds offer the perfect blend of wonder and find right in your backyard!
These winged visitors bring color, sound, and movement that naturally delight young minds.
Birds are everywhere – from city parks to country fields – making them perfect first-nature friends for small children.
Your little ones will be amazed watching birds hop, fly, and build nests. These everyday moments can turn into magical learning opportunities!
You’ll find easy crafts, backyard bird watching tips, and games that build key skills while creating special memories.
Get ready for Exploits that will have your preschooler chirping with excitement!
Why Bird-Themed Activities are Great for Preschoolers
Birds naturally charm young children with their vibrant colors, melodious songs, and breathtaking flight.
These everyday creatures provide perfect learning opportunities for young children. Bird activities develop observation skills as children notice different shapes, colors, and behaviors.
Counting birds introduces early math concepts through play, while bird crafts improve fine motor skills.
The best part? Birds are everywhere! No matter where you live, bird activities require minimal supplies and can happen in backyards, parks, or even through windows.
These interactions also teach patience; watching quietly for birds to appear helps children develop focus and self-control.
Crafty Birds: Simple Diy Projects
Let preschoolers spread their creative wings with these fun, hands-on bird crafts using everyday supplies like paper plates, feathers, and recycled materials.
1. Paper Plate Bird Nest
This adorable activity lets kids build their own bird nest using a paper plate as the base. It’s great for introducing the concept of nesting and helps with cutting and gluing practice.
Kids will love placing soft shredded paper or yarn to mimic twigs and topping it off with paper eggs or pom-poms. It can also be tied to springtime or baby animal themes.
Materials: Paper plate, glue, yarn or shredded paper, pom-poms
2. Handprint Bird Art
Handprint bird crafts are fun and meaningful keepsakes for families. Preschoolers paint their hands and press them onto paper to form the wings. Then they can add a beak, feet, and eyes to bring their little bird to life.
This activity enhances sensory experience and fine motor coordination while allowing room for creativity through color and expression.
Materials: Paint, paper, markers, googly eyes
3. Toilet Paper Roll Owl
Convert toilet paper rolls into owls using paint, paper, and feathers. Preschoolers can get creative with how their owl looks, choosing different feather patterns or expressions.
Folding down the top of the roll into two points creates the perfect “ears.” This eco-friendly project encourages storytelling and imaginative play after the craft is complete.
Materials: Toilet roll, paint, feathers, paper, googly eyes
4. Spoon Birds
Plastic spoons make fantastic bird bases when paired with craft feathers and googly eyes. Kids can decorate the spoon head as the bird’s face and add feathers to the back for wings.
You can even use pipe cleaners to form legs or hang them on a display tree. This playful activity encourages creative thinking and introduces simple construction techniques.
Materials: Plastic spoon, feathers, glue, googly eyes, paper
5. Paper Bag Bird Puppet
Turn a paper lunch bag into a talking bird puppet using craft supplies. Kids can color the bag, glue on a beak, add feathers, and give their puppet a name.
This craft is great for role-play and builds storytelling skills while also helping develop fine motor coordination through cutting and pasting.
Materials: Paper bag, markers, feathers, glue, construction paper
6. Egg Carton Chicks
With just an egg carton, yellow paint, and paper cutouts, kids can craft tiny baby birds in nests.
This activity helps preschoolers learn about birds hatching and encourages conversations about life cycles and spring themes.
Children love painting and assembling these adorable chicks in groups or solo nests.
Materials: Egg carton cups, yellow paint, googly eyes, orange paper
7. Bird Mask Craft
Creating colorful bird masks is a hit with preschoolers, especially when they get to wear them afterward. Kids cut and decorate their masks using feathers, markers, and fun shapes.
Once the mask is done, encourage flying around and pretend play. This activity fosters creativity, builds scissor skills, and gives a confidence boost during dramatic play.
Materials: Cardstock, scissors, feathers, glue, elastic or string
Outdoor Bird Exploration
Take learning outside with birdwatching, nest spotting, and nature walks. These activities connect kids with real birds in their natural environment.
8. Backyard Birdwatching
Encourage preschoolers to become bird detectives with a simple birdwatching activity. Provide homemade or toy binoculars and head outside to look for birds in trees, on rooftops, or near feeders.
Children can sketch or describe what they see, practicing observation and recall. Birdwatching builds patience, attention to detail, and early interest in animals and nature.
Materials: Binoculars (real or cardboard), paper, crayons
9. Backyard Birdwatching
Go on a quiet nature walk and ask children to listen for bird sounds. This activity heightens auditory awareness and helps preschoolers tune into nature.
Pause often and let kids imitate the sounds they hear, creating a playful way to develop listening and memory.
It’s also a perfect chance to talk about different bird calls and what they might mean.
Materials: None needed
10. Make a Pinecone Bird Feeder
Making a pinecone bird feeder is an exciting, hands-on way to help kids care for wildlife. Children roll pinecones in peanut butter and birdseed, then hang them in trees.
This messy but fun activity strengthens fine motor skills and gives kids a front-row seat to watch birds enjoy their handmade feeder.
Materials: Pinecones, peanut butter, birdseed, string
11. Window Bird Feeder Watching
If going outside isn’t always possible, bring the birds to your window! Install a suction-cup feeder and let preschoolers observe birds from the comfort of indoors.
It’s calming, educational, and easy to turn into a daily routine. Discuss bird colors, sizes, and feeding behavior while encouraging kids to draw or write what they see.
Materials: Window bird feeder, birdseed
12. Feather Collection Walk
Take a gentle nature walk to search for naturally shed feathers. Kids love finding soft, colorful feathers hidden in grass or on the sidewalk.
This scavenger-style activity helps children focus on their environment while supporting sensory exploration and developing early sorting skills.
Materials: Basket or bag for collecting
13. Bird Nest Hunt
Let kids search for real bird nests in trees and shrubs. It’s a quiet, respectful Exploit that introduces kids to how birds build homes. Emphasize the importance of not touching or disturbing nests.
This fosters empathy for animals and introduces vocabulary like “camouflage,” “twigs,” and “hatchlings.”
Materials: None needed
14. Birdseed Toss Game
This simple game involves tossing birdseed outside and waiting to see who comes to eat.
It combines movement with science learning and is perfect for children who love immediate results. Kids can measure how much seed they scatter and keep count of the birds that visit each day.
Materials: Birdseed, small scoops or cups
Sensory and Pretend Bird Play
These sensory-rich and imaginative activities bring out kids’ inner birds, if they’re building nests, dressing up, or exploring feathers and textures up close.
15. Birdseed Sensory Bin
This sensory bin is a hit for tactile learners! Fill a large container with birdseed and add scoops, spoons, cups, and small toy birds or eggs. Kids love digging, pouring, and exploring the different textures.
It builds hand strength and coordination while introducing the natural materials that birds interact with on a daily basis. Add some counting or color-sorting challenges for extra educational value.
Materials: Birdseed, bin, scoops, plastic birds or eggs
16. Pretend Bird Nest Building
Let children build their own “nests” using materials like twigs, grass, string, and cotton balls.
This pretend play activity gives them insight into how birds construct their homes while encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving.
Kids can also create pretend eggs to place inside, turning this into a full bird family roleplay.
Materials: Twigs, yarn, shredded paper, cotton, small boxes
17. Feather Discovery Tray
A feathered find tray gives children the chance to explore textures, patterns, and colors up close. Lay out different feathers in a shallow bin or tray and let kids touch, compare, and sort them.
Use magnifying glasses for detailed exploration. This quiet, calm activity is great for developing early science observation skills.
Materials: Assorted feathers, tray or bin, magnifiers
18. Dress Up Like a Bird
Convert your classroom or living room into a bird runway! Children can use scarves, fabric, or simple costume pieces to pretend they’re birds flying, flapping, or strutting.
This gross motor activity builds imagination and confidence, allowing kids to express themselves through movement.
Materials: Scarves, felt wings, feather headbands
19. Worm Hunt with Tweezers
Hide yarn “worms” in a bin filled with rice or shredded paper. Kids use tweezers or clothespins to grab the worms, just like birds do.
It’s a fun fine motor exercise disguised as a feeding game. You can even turn it into a color-sorting or counting challenge.
Materials: Yarn pieces, sensory bin, tweezers or tongs
20. Bird Matching Game
This visual and auditory matching activity strengthens memory and vocabulary. Use flashcards or printable images of birds and match them with either their real bird calls or similar feathers.
It works well in pairs or as a quiet solo activity, and it helps children recognize patterns in nature.
Materials: Bird photos or flashcards, sound clips, feathers
21. Indoor Migration Game
Teach preschoolers about bird migration through movement and dance. Set up soft landing zones (pillows, mats, or paper “nests”) around a room and have kids “fly” from one to another.
Introduce ideas like weather changes or food scarcity along the way to explain why birds travel.
Materials: Pillows or mats, signs for seasons or obstacles
Songs, Movement & Story Time
Encourage rhythm, movement, and early literacy through bird-themed songs, finger rhymes, yoga poses, and beloved storybooks perfect for circle time.
22. “Two Little Blackbirds” Finger Rhyme
This classic finger play rhyme helps children practice rhythm, opposites, and turn-taking. With one bird on each hand, kids bring them together, fly them away, and bring them back again.
It’s simple, repetitive, and great for both quiet time and group settings. You can personalize it by changing the birds’ names or even adding more pairs for a challenge.
Motions: Pointing fingers for birds, flying gestures
23. “Little Bird, Little Bird” Song
A gentle and cheerful movement song that invites kids to fly like birds. They can flap their arms, hop, twirl, and crouch as the lyrics prompt.
It’s terrific for circle time or transitioning between activities, helping kids burn energy while reinforcing listening and following directions.
Suggested actions: Flap wings, spin, tiptoe, perch
24. Bird Dance Party
Throw a fun bird-themed dance party using upbeat music! Assign each child a type of bird and have them dance accordingly, soaring like eagles, waddling like ducks, or pecking like chickens.
It boosts gross motor development and imagination while letting children express themselves through joyful movement.
Music: Any kid-friendly playlist or bird-themed songs
25. Bird Story Yoga
Blend storytelling and yoga by narrating a tale of a bird on a path while guiding kids through gentle poses. Stretch your wings, perch on one leg, and fly across the room.
It’s a mindful, body-positive activity that promotes flexibility, calmness, and focus,ideal for winding down the day.
Poses: Wing stretch, tree (perch), downward bird (dog pose)
26. Bird Storybooks Circle Time
Read aloud bird-themed books to introduce vocabulary, plot, and emotional storytelling. Preschool favorites like
“Are You My Mother?”, “Owl Babies” and “Feathers for Lunch” engage kids with relatable stories while teaching about birds. Encourage questions and sound effects to keep kids involved.
Materials: Picture books, bird puppets or props
27. Create a Bird Song Soundtrack
Build a playlist of real bird calls or musical bird songs and play it during exploration or craft time. Children can guess which bird is singing, match it to photos, or just relax and listen.
It builds auditory discrimination skills and introduces them to bird communication.
Tools: Bird call recordings (apps or YouTube), speakers
28. Feather Wand Dancing
Make feather wands by attaching craft feathers to sticks or straws. Turn on music and let kids move their wands through the air like birds in flight.
This creative, calming activity promotes graceful movement and self-expression and is excellent for rainy-day play or transitions.
Materials: Feathers, tape, sticks or dowels
Learning Through Play & Games
Blend fun and learning with bird-themed puzzles, flashcards, alphabet games, and playful math activities that build foundational cognitive skills.
29. Bird Counting Game
Turn math practice into a fun bird-themed game. Use paper birds, plastic figures, or drawings and have children count how many are in a “nest,” “flying,” or “feeding.” You can add simple addition or subtraction for older preschoolers.
This activity improves number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and early arithmetic skills in a playful and engaging setting.
Materials: Bird cutouts or toys, number cards
30. Bird Flashcards and Names
Introduce basic bird names and images with flashcards. You can either buy a set or make your own using bird photos and simple labels.
Use these to play memory games, practice beginning sounds, or identify birds your child sees outdoors. It’s a low-prep literacy tool that also enhances word-picture association.
Materials: Flashcards, markers, laminator (optional)
31. Letter B Is for Bird
Reinforce letter recognition by focusing on the letter B. Children can trace the letter, color bird-themed letter sheets, and practice writing words like “bird,” “beak,” and “blue jay.”
You can also make a collage of things that begin with B to tie it together. This activity strengthens phonics and writing skills in a fun, theme-connected way.
Materials: Letter stencils, crayons, glue, magazines
32. Bird Puzzle Time
Puzzles help children develop problem-solving, fine motor skills, and spatial awareness. Choose bird-themed puzzles or make your own by cutting up a large bird picture into pieces.
Preschoolers enjoy the challenge, and it’s easy to differentiate for different skill levels.
Materials: Store-bought puzzles or printed bird images
33. Make a Bird Book
Encourage kids to become authors with their bird-themed book. They can draw birds on each page and narrate a story or label parts of a bird.
This open-ended project promotes creativity, early writing, and sequencing, while giving them a sense of pride in making something from scratch.
Materials: Paper, stapler or binder, crayons, stickers
34. Feather Toss Game
A simple and joyful movement game where kids try tossing feathers into baskets or hoops. Feathers float slowly, so it’s easy even for toddlers.
This activity builds coordination, encourages gentle handling, and can be turned into a counting or sorting challenge.
Materials: Feathers, baskets, hula hoops
35. Bird Bingo
End your bird-themed activities with a game of Bird Bingo! Create cards with bird images, feathers, nests, and eggs.
As you call out each item, kids mark their spots using small tokens or stickers. It’s great for group play and helps reinforce vocabulary, image recognition, and listening skills.
Materials: DIY or printable bingo cards, markers/tokens
Wrapping Up!
Looking for ways to spark joy and learning with your preschooler? Birds offer the perfect blend of wonder and find right in your own backyard!
These winged visitors bring color, sound, and movement that naturally charm young minds. Birds are everywhere – from city parks to country fields – making them perfect first-nature friends for small children.
Your little ones will be amazed watching birds hop, fly, and build nests. These everyday moments can turn into magical learning opportunities!
This blog will share simple, mess-free bird activities that fit into busy family schedules. You’ll find easy crafts, backyard bird watching tips, and games that build key skills while creating special memories.
Get ready for Exploits that will have your preschooler chirping with excitement!
Which bird activity are you most excited to try with your little one? Share your favorite in the comments below!
