Children

DIY Bird's Nest

Apr 2, 2024

$1-50

Byline

Siria Alvarez, Library Assistant I, Yuma (Ariz.) County Main Library Branch

Using simple supplies and natural materials, this easy-to-plan STEM program asks kids to imagine what it's like to be a bird looking for materials to build a nest.

A soup cup, scissors and the plants in our library’s park were all that was needed. The children's task was to build a model nest that could protect eggs and baby birds. Children were instructed to use a combination of natural and man-made materials to build their nest. Each child was able to take their nest home, hoping that the birds would come by to their nest and make it their home.

Advanced Planning

I was scrolling through Pinterest and got inspired to do a DIY bird’s nest program with a twist. I started planning in December and decided this program would be nice for February. Our city’s weather is perfect at this time of year for an early Spring program.

My goal was for the children to do something hands-on, fun, creative and educational. It was also an opportunity for them to get to know our library’s park. The learning outcome was to imagine what it would be like to be a bird flying around gathering plants and constructing a nest their own way.

Marketing

We began marketing at the beginning of the month with slides throughout the library on our electronic screens, fliers, printed calendars and the library’s online calendar.

Budgeting

We spent 45 dollars on scissors and soup cups for this program.

Day-of-event Activity

A staff member made an announcement 15 minutes before the program started telling everyone to meet at the front desk so the participants could be led to the park. Thankfully we have a concrete wall-like bench the children used for crafting/ building set up for their nest. I brought a box to hold the soup cups and scissors.

No extra staff members were needed during the program. The biggest challenge I faced was leading the families and children to the park safely. I had a line leader to lead the others to a stopping point I directed them to while I was guiding the other families and children to walk across the street.

Program Execution

The children and parents loved it. Parents especially enjoyed having their children explore outside. The children were having fun exploring around the park. They were having their own conversations about the program and what plants they wanted to use.

Each child showed me their bird’s nest. I gave them positive feedback and asked them questions about what they used for their nest. There were a total of 18 children and 8 adults.