Feather Discovery Activity Page

Let’s explore feathers! Bring some feathers into the early childhood classroom and create some excitement. Children love novelty, something new in the environment to see, touch, and explore. This feather discovery activity combines nature and science with writing and literacy. Preschoolers can explore a feather and write observations on the Feather Discovery Activity Page. Color, count, draw, measure, and describe. In this blog post, find a feather discovery activity page that encourages children to make observations, document their findings, and engage in critical thinking as well as develop fine motor skills.

🪶Feather Discovery Activity Page

This activity page is designed to accompany the observation of real feathers in your early childhood classroom. It’s a multi-faceted, interactive experience that encourages children to use their senses, develop fine motor skills, and make scientific observations. 🪶READ: Bird Wing Art

Materials You’ll Need:

• A variety of real feathers – one for each child, ideally
  large feathers
  small feathers
  spotted feathers
  duck feathers
  peacock feathers
• Crayons
• Small tub of water
• Connecting cube blocks
• Feather Discovery Activity Page

Activity Steps:

1. Observation and Exploration: Begin by placing the feathers on a tray or a basket in a central location in your classroom. Let each child choose a feather. Allow the children to touch, smell, and play with them. Encourage them to describe how they feel, smell, and look.
2. Coloring Fun: Provide coloring materials and ask the children to color the feather on their activity page. Let their creativity flow as they choose the colors.
3. Measuring with Cubes: Use connecting cube blocks to measure the height of their feather. This introduces a basic concept of measurement. Children can record the number of cubes used on their activity page. Can they find something in the room that’s the same size as their feather?
4. Observing a Feather: Talk about the shape and color of the feathers. Encourage the children to draw what they see. This can be a fun, artistic activity that allows creativity.
5. Feeling a Feather: Talk about how the feather feels. Is it stiff or bendy? Encourage the children to describe how their feather feels. Write down their answers.
6. Size Determination: Lastly, ask the children to decide if their feather came from a small, medium, or large bird. The answer doesn’t matter; it’s more about what the child thinks, imagines, and decides. Ask the child to explain their thinking. This activity encourages them to make size comparisons and classifications. They may just want to color all the birds, and that’s fine too. Circle the size choice.
7. Sink or Float: Let each child take turns seeing if their feather floats or sinks in the tub of water. Mark the correct box on the sink or float section of the feather discovery page.

Learning Through the Senses

By combining sensory experiences with engaging activities like coloring, counting, and measuring, you’re not only encouraging a love for learning but also helping young children develop cognitive and fine motor skills. Plus, they get to have a blast while doing it!

Remember, as early childhood educators, creating a supportive and encouraging environment is key. Praise their efforts, ask open-ended questions, and allow them to share their findings and artwork with their friends.

Add the feather discovery activity page to your science curriculum; it’s going to be fun!

Feather Books

I’ve selected three story books about feathers for young children to coordinate with the feather discovery activities. Check out Feathers for Lunch, Feathers Not Just for Flying and Lali’s Feather.