Feeding the Birds
Seeds in a feeder, then the wait, which is already the best part.
Feeding the Birds is a Montessori activity for a child aged 18 to 24 months. Area: Science and Nature. Time: 10 min.
What the activity builds
Care for a living creature that doesn't belong to you, and discover that a wild animal will come if you leave it in peace.
The materials
- A simple bird feeder, or a plastic bottle cut in half and hung up
- Birdseed from the store
- A small pitcher or cup, sized to their hand, to carry the seed
- A windowsill, a balcony, or a reachable branch
How to do it, step by step
- Pour the seed into the cup in front of them, slowly.
- Carry the cup to the feeder together, they hold it.
- Show how to pour it out in one motion, then let them do it.
- Go back inside together, right away, and post up behind the window.
- Wait. The first bird sometimes doesn't show up for several days.
- Repeat the motion every day at the same time, it's the routine that brings the birds back.
The parent's role
Show once, then step back. Waiting is part of the activity, don't fill it with words. The control of error is perfect here, and it isn't yours: if there's fidgeting behind the window, the bird doesn't come. Your child figures that out in a few days, without being told.
Safety
Dry seeds get put in mouths and noses: stay close during carrying and store the bag up high. Don't feed birds from an unsecured window, and wash hands after every refill. In summer, a dish of clean water works just as well as seed.
You remain the sole judge of what is right for your child. These activities are offered for educational and recreational purposes: they do not replace medical advice or the guidance of an early childhood professional.
Ways to adapt the activity
- Easier: you fill it, they watch from the window.
- Harder: they carry the full pitcher a few steps without spilling.
- Extension: in winter, add a suet ball, and see which birds prefer what.
Up next
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