World Migratory Bird Day Kids’ Activities
In 2006 World Migratory Bird Day was founded to bring awareness of and to protect our feathered friends. Celebrated on the second weekend of May each year (in 135 different countries), this is the perfect time to introduce your young child to avian migration. Along with organized events and bird festivals, you can try a few at-home bird-themed activities.
Migration Map
Where do birds migrate to? Help your child to understand the great distances that migratory species travel by creating your own map. You can either mark a real map or have your child draw her own. Pick a specific type of bird, do some research and make the map. Take a look at the map and talk about where the birds travel. Is it over water? Do they pass through different countries?
Pretend Play
Take flight! Ask your child to pretend that she’s a migratory bird. She can flap her wings (her arms) and fly around the house. As your child flies, ask her what she’s passing over and where she’s going to land. This gives your child the chance to better understand the journey that the birds take.
Bird Watching
Look up. What do you see? Grab a pair of binoculars, head outside and do some bird watching. Look for birds flying high in the shay, and ask your child where she thinks they’re going. Bring along a drawing pad and markers so that your child can recreate what she’s observing and make her own bird-themed art.
