Look for Birds

Birding isn’t just for retired folks, it’s a delightful pastime and a natural fit for almost any outdoor adventure. Once you know what to look for (or listen for), spotting birds becomes surprisingly easy and endlessly engaging. While children are often captivated by nature in general, many have a special connection to animals, and birds in particular. Learning to recognize a few familiar local species like robins, Steller’s jays, or chickadees adds depth and excitement to time spent outside, turning a simple walk into a treasure hunt filled with movement, sound, and discovery.

Children can also be encouraged to document or track the birds they encounter using nature journals or bird-watching books. Drawing birds, tallying sightings, or jotting down notes about colors and calls helps strengthen observation skills and memory while supporting early science and literacy learning. Over time, this practice fosters patience, curiosity, and a sense of connection to the living world helping kids see themselves as active participants in their environment, not just observers passing through it.

Having fun with this activity? Try these ideas:

• Download a bird call app, like Merlin, to learn bird sounds. You may be able to call a bird to your yard!

• Make a painting of a bird you saw, or a bird from your imagination!

• Build a nest out of natural material (bird sized, or human sized!)

We’d love to see what you’re up to this Spring Break. Tag us @mountain_sprouts or #MSCCSpringBreakChallenge to share photos with us on social media.