Bird Spotting Adventure

Pictures of a variety of native birds from Aotearoa New Zealand were hidden around our outdoor environment, and a bird-spotting checklist was provided for the children to use as they searched.

The excitement was clear from the beginning! The children eagerly explored different areas of the outdoor space, looking carefully in all sorts of places to see if they could find a hidden bird. Each time a bird was discovered, they checked their list, matched the picture and proudly ticked it off.

There was lots of curiosity and conversation along the way. We talked about the different birds we found, including their names, colours, feathers and textures. The children noticed small details in the pictures and shared their ideas about what they could see. It was lovely to see their interest in birds encouraging them to use descriptive language and talk about the natural world around them.

The checklist also provided a meaningful opportunity to practise early writing skills. Making a tick beside each bird helped develop pencil control, hand-eye coordination and confidence with making purposeful marks. Because the activity was connected to an existing interest in birds, the children were motivated to keep going until they had completed their checklist.

This experience also supported the development of colour recognition and an understanding of different textures and features. As we compared the birds, the children began to notice how they could be identified by their colours, feathers and other characteristics. This learning connects to the Communication | Mana Reo strand of Te Whāriki, as children used spoken language, pictures and written symbols to share their ideas and communicate their discoveries.

It also supported the learning outcome that children develop an understanding that symbols can be read by others and that thoughts, experiences and ideas can be represented in many different ways, including through words, pictures, numbers and shapes. The experience also links to The New Zealand Curriculum, particularly the English and Science learning areas. Children were encouraged to make meaning from visual information, use symbols for a purpose and develop early reading and writing skills.

At the same time, they were exploring the Living World by observing and talking about different native birds and their features. We will continue to build on this interest by offering opportunities to draw and label birds, create our own bird checklists, explore feathers and textures, and practise writing the names or beginning letters of some of our favourite New Zealand birds.

It was wonderful to see so much curiosity, concentration and excitement as we explored the world of Aotearoa's native birds together!