Nature's Way Preschool

Have you ever been outside and heard an animal that you couldn't see? This happens all the time, even for those who spend every day out in nature! Learning the calls of different animals, especially birds, can really come in handy sometimes.  Use the graphic below to learn and practice making your own bird calls for today's Five Senses Friday !

Birds seem to be one of children's book authors' favorite topics to write about and I can see why- they have beautiful patterns and colors, sing enchanting songs, do interesting dances, most can fly, and you can find them in your own backyard! Below is a list of some of our favorite books about birds. For today's Tales from the Trail Thursday , see if you can find a few of these at your local library. Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why by Lita Judge Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston A Bird is a Bird by Lizzy Rockwell Birds by Carme Lemniscates

Today's Wild Wednesday is all about nests. At Nature's Way, we have our very own Black-Chinned Hummingbird nest on the play yard, complete with a nesting mother and eggs! That nest was very hard to find (they are only the size of a golf ball), but many nests are much easier to spot. Have you tried looking for bird nests in your neighborhood? It can also be fun to gather materials to make your own nest. You can use mud like a Cliff Swallow, stack straw and sticks like a Pigeon, dig a hole in the ground like a Burrowing Owl, or maybe use something a bird has never thought of before!

Especially in springtime, Austin is home to a wide variety of colorful and unique birds.  Use the graphic below to see how many flying colors of the rainbow you can find for today's Teaching Tuesday ! Did you notice that most of the birds shown are male? I wonder why that is...

Do you know what a puffin is? If you do, how might it be similar to a goldfish? A helicopter? How about a penguin?  Join Elizabeth to read "Nothing Like a Puffin" by Sue Soltis in today's Tales from the Trail Thursday. After the story, invent your own birds using loose parts!

When you take a walk around your neighborhood or in the park, you might stop to look up in the trees for bird nests. But have you ever thought to look down? Follow along with Elizabeth as she reads "Mama Built a Little Nest" by Jennifer Ward, a story about different kinds of bird nests! Afterward, you can choose to make your own nests in nature.