Having taken part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch for several years, we have learned that it’s handy to have a backup of activities to do before/during/after spotting garden birds. You can sign up for the 2024 RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and then check out our Big Garden Birdwatch activity ideas below.
Big Garden Birdwatch Activity Ideas
We love making different bird feeders so much that we already wrote a post on how to make 5 different bird feeders blog post. I have included two of the most popular ones we have shared before on social media.
Peanut Butter Toilet Roll Feeders
A simple craft that upcycles cardboard toilet rolls. Take two large plates, and smear one with peanut butter and the other with birdseed. Then place your leftover cardboard toilet roll onto the peanut butter plate and roll until the outside is all covered in peanut butter. You may need to smear some with a knife if you’ve been left with any patches.
Fruity Birdfeeders
Take your apple and press a small cookie cutter into it. Leaving the cookie cutter in, simply scoop some apple out to leave a hole and fill it with some birdseed mixed with peanut butter or lard. Pierce the top of the apple with a skewer and feed some string through, loop, and tie. Hang the apple up for the birds to enjoy!
Or simply cut an apple in half and coat it with peanut butter or something else suitable, coat in the birdseed and then spear the underside of your apple straight onto thick branches.
Clay Decorations
We used some air-drying clay we had in our craft cupboard to create these beautiful clay birds.
Using a clay cutter tool or a knife will, of course, help their fine motor skills and I find mine can lose themselves for an hour with a block of clay, a rolling pin, and a small bowl of water to smooth out the cracks.
We hung our clay birds from our dining room window handles.
Binoculars
Simply take two cardboard toilet rolls (I told you we like a cardboard roll craft), sticky tape, and string. Decorate the binoculars and your little twitchers will be ready to get bird spotting.
Play Dough Nests
Having my own play dough business comes in handy for themed crafting as we often sell gorgeous DIY bird’s nest craft kits. That said you can make a bird nest simply with some play dough and bits and bobs around the house.
We have a whole post on how to make a Bird Nest Play Dough Activity.
Bird Sensory Tray
This will keep toddlers and preschoolers nice and busy. I love sensory materials that are taste-safe because babies and toddlers are notorious tasters! (Make sure that bird seed and seed mixes are not near anyone with nut allergies).
Wild birdseed is a good sensory addition as it’s scoopable/pourable, and it easily vacuums up if you are inside. If you are outside it will help feed the garden birds and wildlife. Add in some easter chicks, plastic eggs, nests, scoopers, and spoons to create this seed sensory play tray.
Check out this post for more Sensory Play ideas.
Other Fun Resources
Large cardboard box – Turn this into a bird hide or make a bird hide fort with furniture!
Fancy dress and face paint – Get into a bird-watching character and maybe even apply some camo-coloured face paint.
I hope our RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Activity Ideas for Kids have given you some inspiration for the RSPB garden birdwatch.
absolutely love these ideas.