Bird Crafts and Learning
Activities for Children

Horned Owl Decoration or Change Purse

These charming little owls can be used for many different purposes. Stuff them and make them plump for a children's toy, hang them on your Christmas tree, string them together to make Christmas garland. Add a zipper and use them as change purses or gift holders.

What you will need: White muslin or felt material, buttons or felt for the eyes, felt for the beak and feet, hot melt glue, pliers, zipper (optional), and decorative items such as Rickrack and lace. *Note- decorative buttons like the ones we used can be very expensive. I cut my buttons from old clothes I bought from rummage sales.

What to do:

1. Cut out two each of the the body shape and four each of the wing shape from the muslin material (two each of the wing if using felt). (Patterns for this craft are available to members.)

2. Use one of the body patterns to make the front of the owl. Glue or sew on buttons for the eyes. Large orange buttons and decorative gold buttons with black shiny middles were used for the eyes of the owls pictured. The shanks (back of the buttons) were cut off using pliers. You can also use felt or googly eyes. Cut a triangle shape for the beak from gold felt and glue between the eyes.

3. Sew Rick Rack, ribbon, or other decorative items on the front of the owl. You can also use fancy sewing machine stitching or embroidery.

4. Making the owls out of felt is much easier than using muslin because you don't have to worry about frayed edges, and you don't have to sew the material and then turn it right-side out. To make the felt owl place the wings and feet between the body patterns and pin them to keep them in place. If you would like to include a loop for hanging the owl, cut a piece from the felt, fold it in half and then pin it between the body pieces so that it is up side down. Sew all the way around the body to secure the feet and wings. If you want the owl to be plump, leave part of the top of the head between the ear tuffs open, stuff it with Polyfil, and then sew it closed.

5. If you would like to make a change purse. Cut open the back of the owl as shown in the pattern and sew in a zipper. Then sew the front and back together.

6. To make the muslin owl decorate the front piece first. Sew two wing patterns together and then turn them right side out and stitch around the edges. (You could use felt for the wings instead and you would only need to cut two wings.) Pin the wings to the front body part so that the wings are facing inward. Pin the feet to the body pattern so that they are facing upward. Sew around the body pattern leaving the top middle part of the head open. Turn right-side out and then top-stitch all the way around the body.

You can also add a zipper to make a change purse. A pattern is provided for this also. The back pattern is in two pieces and is longer because you have to make a hem where the zipper is sewn on. Once you hem the pieces, place the zipper so that the teeth match up with the hemmed edge and sew it on. I unzipped the zipper to sew it on, then zipped it back up when I was done, and then cut off the extra length. When you sew the back and front together the zipper tab won't be able to come off the zipper.

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Paper Plate Birds in a Nest Craft for Kids

What you will need: Small lunch-size paper plates, and dinner-size paper plates for the nest, paint, glue gun or stapler, feathers, and eyes.

What to do:

1. Fold a small paper plate in half and cut it in half.

2. To make the head roll one half of the plate into a cone shape overlapping the sides about 1/3 of the plate. Glue the cut side closed.

3. To make the body roll the other half of the paper plate into a cone shape overlapping the side only about one inch at the edge. Glue the cone closed on the cut edge. Fold the tip of the cone down about 1/2" and glue the head to the folded tip.

4. Cut wings and feet from another paper plate and glue them to the body as shown in the picture.

5. Paint the paper plate birds and glue on eyes. To finish glue feathers to the top of the heads.

6. To make the nest fold a large paper plate in half and cut it in half. Glue the plates together to form the nest shape. Cut the front part of the nest a little lower than the back, and then paint the nest.

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Learning Activities for this craft:

Bird Feeder Craft

What you will need: 6 3/4 oz. Pringle's Potato Chip Can with lid, 7" plastic Chinet plate, and a 9" plastic Chinet plate, a 2" bolt with nut and a 1" bolt with nut, drill with matching drill bits, string for hanging, acrylic paint, and stickers (optional).

What to do:

1. Paint the Pringle's can any color you would like and let dry. Decorate it with stickers.

2. Cut three or four small holes about 3/4" by 1/2" around the bottom edge of the can using a knife. These holes are where the birdseed comes out.

3. Drill two small holes in the top of the can just below the edge of the plastic lid on opposite sides. These will be used to hang the bird feeder.

4. Turn the can upside down and place the small plate on the center of the can. The plate should be upside down on the bottom of the can. Drill a hole through the plate and the bottom of the can. (The drill bit should match the size of your bolt.) Stick the 2-inch bolt through the hole in the paper plate and the hole in the bottom of the can. Screw on the nut from the inside of the can. You may have to find someone with small hands to do this for you.

5. Remove the lid from the can and place it upside down on the middle of the big paper plate. Drill a hole through the middle of the plastic lid and the plate. Stick the 1-inch bolt through the plate and then the lid and screw on the nut. Drill two holes on opposite sides off the lid in the plate.

6. Stick one end of a piece of string through one of the holes in the top of the Pringle's can, over and through the can to the other hole and through the hole. Place the lid with the plate on the can. Now bring both ends of the string up through the holes you punched in the plastic plate. Tie the string ends together at the top.

7. To fill the bird feeder just pull off the lid and let it dangle to the side.

The sunflower bird feeder to the right was made using the same technique, except that a brown plastic bowl was used for the top and yellow fun foam petal shapes were glued to the bowl to make the flower head.

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Felted Blue Bird Craft This cute little blue bird was made from wool roving (unspun wool) using a needle felting technique. Wool is wound into a teardrop and a ball shape and then poked repeatedly with a felting needle to condense the wool and sculpt it into the desired shape. You can find directions for this craft and more on the Felting Crafts Page.

Red Bird Card and Paper Craft

Remember the Red Bird
Written by Carolyn Warvel

When everything around me seems so very gray,
And I feel like I am lost and will never find the way,
When all my friends have left me, and hope has slipped away.
I will remember the red bird that brightens up the day.

It’s a gift from my father, his love on display.
He’s telling me he’s with me each and every day.
When I keep my eyes on the red bird, I know things will be okay.
It takes me to a better world not so far away.
©2007, Carolyn Warvel

What you will need: High-resolution printer paper, matching card stock, red printer paper, orange paper, scissors, and paper glue.

What to do:

1. Print out the poem onto high-resolution printer paper, cut it out and glue it to a folded piece of card stock with paper glue. (Card Pattern or Picture Patterns) Cut the card stock so all the sides are even. This pattern is available to members only. Please email me if you would like the pattern.

2. To make the paper red bird print out the red bird pattern onto red paper and cut it out. Printing Problems?

3. Cut a beak shape from orange paper.

4. To assemble fold the body and head patterns in half. Fold the belly patterns in half and glue them to the inside of the blue bird and the robin bodies.  Do not glue the bodies closed.  Glue the beaks to the inside of the folded heads and glue the heads onto the bodies.  You can glue the heads closed.  Glue the wings onto the bodies. Place the bird inside the card with a personal note.

To read more ideas about red birds go to the Education Crafts- Books Page.

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Ribbon and Bell Cardinal

What you will need: 5/8" polyester ribbon, scissors, glue, bright orange card stock, 3/4" jingle bell, black Sharpie marker, and wire.

What to do:

1. Cut a piece of ribbon ten inches long and fold it in half. Fold in the folded end of the ribbon to make a triangle shape at the end as shown in the top, right diagram.

2. Make a loop at the same end like you are going to make a knot at the end, tucking the folded end into the loop. As shown in the picture to the right.

3. Press the knot flat and place a little glue inside to keep it together. This is the bird's head. Cut a small triangle shaped beak from orange card stock and inserting the beak through the back of the head and pushing it all the way through to the hole in the front as shown in the picture above.

4. Cut another piece of ribbon about six inches long and tie it to the head piece right below the head as shown in the pictures to the left. Cut the ends of the wings so they are curved as shown in the picture above.

5. Scrunch up the back of the bird (tail) so that you can insert it through the top of the bell. Pull the taill all the way through so that the wings and head meet the top of the bell as shown in the picture to the right. Cut the tail feathers in a V-shape as shown in the picture above. Attach a wire to the bell to hang up the bird.

6. Use a black Sharpie marker to draw in the eyes and black around the beak.

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Bird Picture with Real Leaves

What you will need: Heavy Paper, crayons and markers, glue, dried leaves, straw or dry grass, pipe cleaner, and Exacto knife.

What to do:

1. Print out the pattern onto heavy paper. Printing Problems?

2. Collect leaves and press them in a heavy book between sheets of waxed paper. Collect some dried grass or straw.

3. Color the picture and then glue on dried leaves on the branches and grass on the nest.

4. Cut a hole on each side of the mama bird's beak. Cut a piece of brown pipe cleaner about 2 to 3 inches long and stick in through the hole to make it look like the bird is holding a worm.

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Feathered Bird Quail Craft

What you will need: One 1-7/8" x 2-1/2" Styrofoam egg and a 2-5/16" x 3-1/16" Styrofoam egg, glue, pipe cleaners or 20 gauge wire, eyes, fun foam, and natural feathers.

What to do:

1. Glue the two eggs together to form the bird's body and head.

2. Starting at the tail end of the bird glue on feathers overlapping them as you work towards the head of the bird.

3. To make the wings and tail feathers glue several big feathers together and then glue them to the body.

4. Save a small round feather to glue to the top of the head.

5. Use pipe cleaners or wire to form the feet. Stick them into the Styrofoam body.

6. Cut the beak shape from fun foam and glue to the head. To finish glue on eyes.

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Lucky Duck Paper Plate Craft

What you will need: Four dinner-sized paper plates for each duck (heavy duty is best, but the cheap ones will work), 1 snack size paper plate, orange, and yellow or white paint, hot melt glue gun or stapler, school glue, card stock, scissors, and black markers.

What to do:

1. Print out the pattern for the feet, wings, and bill and cut them out. Place the feet pattern on a paper plate so that the web part of the feet is on the outer edge of the paper plate. Trace the feet pattern twice and then cut the feet out. Place the wing pattern on a paper plate so that the scalloped edge is at the edge of the plate. Trace the pattern. Turn the pattern over and place it at the edge of the paper plate again, trace it, and then cut the wings out. Place the bill pattern on the paper plate so that the part connected to the head is at the edge of the paper plate. Trace the pattern and then trace it again. Cut out the bill.

2. Place a dinner size paper plate, right side up, on the table. Decide where you want the wings and feet. Staple or glue them to the top of the paper plate. (See picture.) Place another dinner-sized paper plate upside down on top of the right side up paper plate and glue or staple it on top of the plate with the feet and wings.

3. To make the head fold a snack size paper plate in half and glue it to the body of the duck as shown.

4. Paint the feet and bill orange. Paint the body and head yellow or white and let them dry.

5. Glue the bill to the head as shown in the picture.

6. Draw eyes on a piece of card stock, cut them out and glue them to the head.

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For more duck crafts go to the Duck Crafts and Activities Page.

 

Paper Raven Craft

This raven can be made with construction paper, fun foam or poster board. You can put any saying you would like in his mouth. A pattern and directions are available on The Resource Room. The Resource Room is a members only site.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson about Elijah and the Ravens Click here for a free sample lesson.

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Paper Plate Raven Craft

This bird can be used to hold papers or candy.

What you will need: large paper plates, small paper plates, yellow, black, and white construction paper, black markers, black paint and paint brushes, glue gun, and black feathers.

What to do:

1. Before class cut the top 1/3 off of one large paper plate. Glue it to another large paper plate so that it forms a pocket.
2. Glue two small paper plates together, top to top, for the head. Glue the head to the large paper plates as shown.
3. Cut out some wings from another paper plate or black construction paper and glue them to the body.
4. In class have the children paint the body of the bird, cut out a beak and eyes, and glue them to the body.
5. They can also glue some feathers to the top of the head and make legs from black construction paper.
   You can also punch a hole in the top and tie a piece of yarn in the hole so they can hang their birds.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson about Elijah and the ravens. Click here for a free sample lesson.

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Jack and Jill Paper Bag Black Bird Puppets

These puppets can also be used as raven puppets for the story of the ravens feeding Elijah. They would make a great craft to go along with the lesson.

What you will need: Lunch bag, black acrylic paint, paper, tape or glue, yellow and black construction paper, and red ribbon.

What to do:

1. Paint your bag black with acrylic paint and let it dry.
2. Print out the body patterns and cut them out. Cut the wings and hair from black construction paper. Cut the beak and legs from yellow construction paper. Printing Problems?
3. Glue the eyes and the beak onto the bottom of the bag as shown. Glue or tape the hair onto the back of the bag for the Jill puppet. Tie a piece of red ribbon into a bow and glue it onto the hair.
4. Glue or tape the wings onto the sides of the bags and glue the legs to the top of the bag as shown.
5. Use your puppets to act out the rhyme below.

   Two Little Blackbirds

   Two little blackbirds
   Sitting on a hill.
   One named Jack;
   One named Jill.
   Fly away, Jack;
   Fly away, Jill.
   Come back, Jack;
   Come back, Jill.

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Raven Cookies

What you will need:

1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup milk
4 cups sugar
2 sticks of butter (1 cup)
1 cup of peanut butter (optional)
6 cups of old fashioned oatmeal

Nilla Chocolate Wafers
Candy corn
3D’s Doritos
Blue or green icing in a
tube with a decorating
tip with a small hole

Make the dough for the raven’s body:

1. Mix cocoa, sugar, and milk stirring well in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the margarine. Bring to a boil. Boil 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage. (Drop a small amount of the hot mixture into a cold cup of water. If the mixture sticks together slightly when you push it together with your fingers, it is in a soft ball stage.) Do not over cook because they will be too dry and fall apart.
2. Remove from heat and add the peanut butter and oats. Scoop onto waxed paper that has been placed on a cookie sheet.

To complete the Ravens:

Raven's head - Add candy corn or 3D’s Doritos for a beak. Use icing to make the eyes.

Raven with wings - Cut one Chocolate Wafer in half to make two wings. Push wafer halves into the sides of the raven’s body. Cut another wafer into a triangular shape for the tail feathers. Push into the top of the raven’s body. Push a Candy Corn or a 3D’s Doritos into the lower half of the body for a beak. Add eyes with icing.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson about Elijah and the Ravens Click here for a free sample lesson.

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Pink Flamingo

This flamingo was made from pompoms, feathers, and fun foam. Directions for this craft is available too on the members only section of this site.

F is for Flamingo - This worksheet goes with the ABC series of lessons in which children learn godly concepts and study animals at the same time. They are great for Christian preschools and home school children. They are designed for preschool through third grade. Children can print the letters, trace them, write them in cursive, write the complete Bible verse in cursive or print it, or write the word. These lessons also include other learning activities to go along with the theme including math, spelling, writing, science, and review games. Pattern and lesson available to members only.

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Make a Bird Head Craft

Cut 2 1/2" or larger Styrofoam balls in half. Use 1/2 per bird head. Cut beak shapes from yellow or orange fun foam or construction paper and glue to the head. Glue googly eyes to the head. Poke feathers into the Styrofoam to finish. Make sure you buy feathers with a stiff enough tip to go into the Styrofoam.

 

Hen and Chick Color Sheet and Activity Sheet

This color sheet is available to members only. Children color the picture. You can also bring in small feathers for them to glue to the hen.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson "Under his Wings". Click here for a free sample lesson.

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"He covers us with his Feathers" color and craft sheet

The hen's wing is attached with a paper fastener so that the wing can be moved up and down to cover the hen's chicks. This color sheet is available to members only.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson "Under his Wings". Click here for a free sample lesson.

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"Covered with Feathers" color and craft sheet

Print out the pattern onto heavy paper and make copies. In class have your children color the picture and then glue feathers. This color sheet is available to members only.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson "Under his Wings". Click here for a free sample lesson.

H is for Hen Alphabet Worksheet

This worksheet goes with the ABC series of lessons in which children learn godly concepts and study animals at the same time. They are great for Christian preschools and home school children. They are designed for preschool through third grade. Children can print the letters, trace them, write them in cursive, write the complete Bible verse in cursive or print it, or write the word. These lessons also include other learning activities to go along with the theme including math, spelling, writing, science, and review games. For a free sample lesson click here. "Under His Wings" sample lesson.

Hen and Chick Craft

"He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." Psalm 91:4a . A pattern and directions are available on The Resource Room. The Resource Room is a members only site.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson "Under his Wings". Click here for a free sample lesson.

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Bird Feeding Elijah Picture

What you will need: Paper, pencil, and crayons, food such as birdseed or dry cereal.

What to do:

1. Draw a picture of a bird getting ready to eat from a hand filled wit birdseed or use the pattern. (This pattern is available to members only.)

1. Color the picture and then either draw food in the raven's beak and the hand or glue cereal, popcorn, sunflower seeds, etc. onto the hand.

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson about Elijah and the Ravens. Click here for a free sample lesson.

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Bird Writing or Drawing Paper

The craft was designed to go along with a Bible lesson about Elijah and the Ravens. Click here for a free sample lesson.

This printout comes with a Bible verse or without. You can also use it as a writing prompt. Title the paper "If I Were a Bird" and have your children write a paragraph about what it would be like to be a bird.

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Whooping Crane Puppet with Flapping Wing Craft

Move the paint stick up and down and the Whooping Crane flaps his wings. All you need for this craft is: Card stock, crayons, tape, glue, scissors, and paint sticks. A pattern and directions for this craft are available to members only.

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Bird Puppet Craft

What you will need: Paint stir sticks (You can usually get these free from paint stores) or large craft sticks, construction paper, low temp glue or paper glue, crayons or markers.

 What to do:

1. Make a copy of the bird pattern.  Cut out the bird and use it as a pattern to trace onto different colors of construction paper.  Cut two birds per child.  If you are using paint sticks enlarge the patterns to double their size.  If you are using the large craft sticks, use the patterns as they are.  Printing Problems?

2. Glue the birds back to back onto the craft sticks or paint stir sticks with hot melt glue or rubber cement. Do not glue the wings together. Fold the wings down to the side of the bird so that it looks like it is flying.

3. Draw a face on and color the bird.

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Early Bird Coloring Sheet

Early Bird picture with the saying, "Early to bed and early to rise make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise"

This pattern is available to members only. Become a member.

Comments:

"I thought that it would be especially cute if you printed it on card stock and glued moss on the nest. Jennifer Keliher

You can find moss at craft stores or floral shops. Or just have your children collect dried grass and other things from outside. Or they can cut up pieces of yarn to glue onto the picture.

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Bird on a Fence Activity Sheet

What you will need: paper, craft sticks, fun foam flower shapes or silk flowers. (You can buy silk flowers at secondhand store. Just pull off all the flowers and discard the rest.

What to do:
1. Print out the pattern and make copies. Color the picture and then glue on craft sticks over the fence pattern and then glue on fun foam flower shapes or silk flowers. Make up a saying or use a popular verse to write at the top of the picture. Printing Problems?

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Pinecone Great Horned Owl Craft

What you will need: Pinecones (If possible use pinecones that are twisted at the bottom so that the bottom of the pinecone is showing from one side.), Small brown feathers, yellow construction paper, inside of a sunflower seed, glue.

What to do:

1. If you can't find a pinecone that is a little twisted, you can use a pair of pliers to cut the ends off of some of the pinecone's petals on one side of the wider end of the pine cone

2. Glue two small feathers to the bottom of the pinecone to look like the tuffs of the great horned owl.

3. Glue more small feathers to the face area in a circular pattern starting with the shaft of the feather in the center of the face to make the facial disk.

4. Cut yellow eyes from the construction paper and glue to the facial disk. Use a magic marker to color in the pupils. Glue them to the face. Glue on a sunflower seed, point down, for the beak.

These little owls look great in pinecone wreaths.

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Great Horned Owl Craft Made with Real Feathers

What you will need: brown feathers, yellow construction paper, black magic marker, inside of a sunflower seed, glue, and brown construction paper.

What to do: Draw an egg shape for the owl on to brown construction paper and cut it out. The wider end of the egg shape is the owl's head. Glue two feathers on for the wings. Then glue on long feathers for the body. Glue the shaft end of the feathers to the neck area so that the tips of the feathers form the owl's tail feathers (Feathery part). Cut the tips off of some of your feathers and glue them in a circular pattern onto the face area to make the facial disk. Cut yellow circles from the construction paper and use a magic marker to color in the pupils. Glue on a sunflower seed for the beak. A Pattern available to members only.

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Paper BagOwl

What you will need: Brown paper lunch bag, brown construction paper, black marker, yellow card stock or construction paper, glue, and newspaper ripped in quarters.

What to do:

1. Stuff a paper lunch bag with wrinkled up pieces of newspaper about half full. Pull the sides of the paper bag out from the top so that you can make a flat surface at the top of the bag. Fold down the sides from the middle top of the bag and glue them down. Fold the down the point to the front of the bag making the top of the owls head. Pull up on the sides to make the horns and open them slightly.

3. Draw wings on brown paper and eyes and a beak onto yellow paper using a black Sharpie, and cut them out. Glue them to the bag. (Patterns for the wings, eyes, and beak are available to members.)

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Letter O for Owl Printing and Cursive Writing Worksheets

This worksheet goes with the ABC series of lessons in which children learn godly concepts and study animals at the same time. They are great for Christian preschools and home school children. They are designed for preschool through third grade. Children can print the letters, trace them, write them in cursive, write the complete Bible verse in cursive or print it, or write the word.

These lessons also include other learning activities to go along with the theme including math, spelling, writing, science, and review games. Lessons and worksheets are available to members only.

Paper Plate Quail

This craft goes with the lesson Manna Again! - The story of the Israelites in the Wilderness. The lesson includes crafts, activities, memory verse review games, coloring sheets, and much more. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only.)

 

Paper Bag Quail Puppet

This craft goes with the lesson Manna Again! - The story of the Israelites in the Wilderness. The lesson includes crafts, activities, memory verse review games, and much more. (A pattern for this craft is available to members only.)

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Letter Q - Quail writing Worksheet

This worksheet goes with the ABC series of lessons in which children learn godly concepts and study animals at the same time. They are great for Christian preschools and home school children. They are designed for preschool through third grade. Children can print the letters, trace them, write them in cursive, write the complete Bible verse in cursive or print it, or write the word. These lessons also include other learning activities to go along with the theme including math, spelling, writing, science, and review games. Lessons and worksheets are available to members only.

Turkey Crafts for Kids

See the Thanksgiving Crafts Page for turkey crafts and activities

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Free Sample Lessons from
The Resource Room

Free
Scaredy Cat
Daniel in the Lion's Den