Finding things to do in the garden with the kids at this time of the year can be tough. My two are quite happy to romp around in the freezing cold, but with so little actually happening in the garden it’s hard to grab their attention and get them engrossed in an activity. The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is perfect for doing just that though.
All you have to do is spend an hour over the weekend of 24th and 25th January counting the birds that visit your garden, then submit the information to the RSPB. Taking part is not only a great way to get the kids involved in some garden activities, you’ll be helping to build a national picture of the wild bird population – which is a barometer for the health of the countryside in general.
I know Sam and Lily will really enjoy this event, they had lots of fun recently making their own fatball feeders and since then have been regularly checking the food supplies. Spending some time watching the birds who actually do the eating will be so exciting for them. I’m really looking forward to it too – I’m pretty clueless about identifying birds so we’ll all be learning a thing or two I’m sure!
You can register for a Big Garden Birdwatch event pack at https://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/ – the family version includes ideas for keeping the kids busy during the hour when you’re all counting. The site also has loads of information on how to identify the birds you see and results from previous years. There are also some lovely ideas for activities to do with the kids in the run-up to the event to get them involved; we’ll definitely be having a go at making our own seed feeders and I can see how the edible ‘worms’ will be a big hit with older kids!
Will you be taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch and surveying the birds who visit your garden?
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