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Bird Nest Building

Activity

Make Your Own Nest

Learn about different types of bird nests (ground nests, tiny nests, large loose nests, tight medium sized tree nests, mud nests, burrows, hanging nests, artistic nests, etc). Using assistance, collect materials found on the ground to see what the native birds might use, and build your own bird nest.

child holding a nest made of moss and sticks with rocks inside the nest

a birds nest with two small, white eggs inside on a tree branch

two bald eagles sitting in a large nest made of sticks in a tree top.

Science Seed

Birds create nests as a safe place to lay eggs and raise their young. Some nests are camouflaged to prevent predators from seeing them, and many are placed in areas away from the weather, like rain and wind. Just like human houses look different in different climates, birds create different types of nests based on their needs and location. For example, Bald Eagle nests can be as big as 10 feet wide for their large chicks, and many swallows make their nests out of their own spit to hold their eggs safely inside caves and even behind waterfalls!

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.