Birds of a Feather - Day Four


Feathers
All birds have feathers and they are the only animals that have them. All birds have wings, however, not all birds can fly. No other animal can move faster than a bird can fly.

Circle Time Ideas

Feathers! Feathers! Feathers!
Finding a pretty feather is like finding a rare and wonderful treasure. They can be in every color of the rainbow. They can be all different sizes. Find or buy a variety of different feathers and let the children compare the sizes, colors and shapes. Match the different feathers to the feathers in a good book.

Good Book
The Perfect Purple Feather
Hanock Piven


Movement
I Can Fly!!
Have the children bring their blankets to the circle and sit on a large nest (blanket) together. Have them wrap up in their blankets and pretend like the blankets are their wings again. This time, they are older and are ready to try and fly from the nest. Put some music on and let them try. First they flap their wings slowly and fall to the ground. Then, they fly a bit clumsily around the classroom before falling. Finally, fly with them all around the classroom chirping in triumph.

Another Good Book

Flap Your Wings
By P.D. Eastman

Movement
Blowing Feathers
This activity is fun no matter how many times you repeat it. It is good for rainy days when children need to be soothed. It is fun to play outside or inside, in small spaces or in large spaces. Give each child a small, fluffy feather and let him blow it into the air. Have a contest to see who can keep their feather in the air longer than the teacher. Be very dramatic as your feather falls to the ground in defeat.

Messy Table
Feather Collage
Provide the children with fluffy, small feathers in every color and glue. Let them glue the feathers onto construction paper. The feathers will be stuck to their fingers and everything else before they are done and their collages will be lovely.


Cut & Color Table
Bird Stories
I love to encourage the children to write stories when we study birds. I like to ask them, “If you were a bird and could fly anywhere, where would you fly?” Write their answers down word for word and leave room for them to illustrate their stories when they are finished.


Creative Art
Feather Duster Painting
Things you will need:
  • two are three inexpensive feather dusters
  • two or three colors of paint
  • large poster paper
Let the children dip the feather dusters into the paint and use them to paint on the poster paper. You can put on slow, “Flying” music and let them move the feather dusters as if they were wings.


Outside
Hide and Go Peep
Let the children bring their blankets outside and practice flying around the play yard. When the teacher rings a bell, all of the birdies find a hiding place. Whenever the teacher says, “Chirp Chirp,” the babies have to say, “Peep Peep.” The teacher must listen to the “Peeps” and try to find the babies in their hiding places. When all of the babies have been found, they can fly back into the classroom and put their blankets away.