We are kicking off a bird week here! And I am super excited about some of the things that we have planned.
Today we started the week off by talking about bird beaks. We talked about what the birds eat that we see in our backyard (seeds, bugs and worms). I asked her what they used to eat with and if we ate the same way. After a great conversation and me showing her some bird pictures so she could really see the beaks up close I explained that we were going to try and eat like birds.
I showed her a plate of peanuts and explained that just like birds have to use their beaks to crack open seeds and get the food that was on the inside we were going to use tools (that look somewhat like beaks) to crack open peanuts. She was fascinated by the whole concept!
She had a set of wooden salad tongs, needle nose pliers and regular pliers to experiment with.
Chris even got in on the peanut crushing fun! And both girls really liked the snack.
This worked out really well as a way for her to see what birds have to do (sometimes) to get their food.
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The Nitty Gritty!
Obviously this is not for those with a peanut allergy; sorry! But for those that can do this activity be sure to pair it with some bird watching being sure to point out how birds open the seeds. If you have chickadees near your house you can point out how they grab a seed, hold in between their toes and break it open with their beaks. The work they do is very careful and detailed.
All day I have been thinking that they would be such a fun snack to do with preschoolers or campers when they are learning about birds. But after I just wrote that first line above about peanut allergies I realized that there is probably not a school or camp out there that could do this activity. I keep trying to think of something else that could be used but I am drawing a blank. I will keep thinking!
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