Free Printable Bird Watching Journal and Bingo Game for Kids
Are you looking for a fun way to keep track of your bird-watching experience and spend quality time with your kids? Then download my free printable Bird Watching Journal and Bingo Game! This is a great game that will help them learn about birds while they are having fun – plus it’ll give them something to do while camping.
With this journal, parents can also have an opportunity to teach their kids about the importance of conservation and preservation.
One of my favorite activities to do with my kids was bird watching. I wanted to raise kids who saw the value in appreciating the natural world around them, so I raised my kids to be bird watchers, and I wanted them to have fun learning about birds.
Here’s the thing: The more your child knows about birds, their needs, and the challenges many types of birds face, the more your kids will be involved in helping to support wildlife habitat conservation as they grow up – and that’s important!
Bird Watching Journal and Bingo Game
In this blog post, you’ll find my free printable birdwatching journal and bingo game – and I’m sure you’ll love spending time with the young birder in your life while using this resource!
The first is a free printable journal where kids can learn about different types of birds by looking at photos of birds or observing birds in the wild and drawing them. Once you’ve identified the birds in your backyard or around your campsite, you can write down the names and keep a tally record of how many you see!
And finally, there’s a fun bingo game with common North American birds and birds in different settings – just match the bird you see with one from the board!
When a child learns about birds, they are learning about all the animals and nature. When a child spends time observing them, he/she will also learn how to identify different species of birds, how they behave, where to find them and help protect them.
How to Get Started Bird Watching with Your Kids
Marina Pita from the Audubon website suggests: “Start off by reminding kids that birds are hard to spot, but easy to hear. Have them close their eyes and listen. Can they point to where the song is coming from?”
You might want to review different birds that are common in the area where you are camping and make a game of finding the birds on your list.
What Equipment to Use While Birdwatching
- binoculars
- bird watching journal pages
- bird watching tally page
- the Audubon App for bird watching
- North American Field Guide
- good shoes
- notebook and pen or pencil
- hat and sunscreen
- day pack (if you plan to take a hike while bird watching)
Once you gather together the things you need, make a list of some of the most common birds in your area. Learn to identify both males and females. Younger kids might enjoy birding once they see how it is fun.
As you study birds, talk about how they are different. Look at their habitats and listen to their calls. Try to figure out what species each sound belongs to. You can also find out what kind of bird it is by looking at its markings.
What is the best time of day for bird watching?
The best time to look for birds is between dawn and around 11:00 in the morning or so, when the birds are most active. This is especially true in the spring and early summer, when many of them sing all morning long!
One of my favorite things is waking up in a tent and hearing the birds sing their songs!! If it happens to be cloudy, the birds around your campsite may sing even longer.
What’s the difference between birding and bird watching?
That’s a great question! Bob Duchesne explains it well in his piece in the Bangor Daily News: “If you notice birds while traveling, you’re a birdwatcher. If you travel to see birds, you’re a birder. If you drive to see a rare bird in Maine, you’re a birder. If you go because your friend drags you along to see it, you’re a birdwatcher.”
Free Printable Bird Watching Journal and Bingo Game
How to Download
- Click here to get instant access to my free printable Bird Watching Journal and Bingo Game to print!
- You’ll receive a .pdf with 4 pages to print!
If you’ve enjoyed this post, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family! You can do that by using the social media buttons below. I hope these printables are a fun and easy way for kids (and adults) of all ages to learn more about birds while spending time outdoors in nature. Be sure to check out our other blog posts linked below if you need some new ideas on how to spend quality time outside!
