Bird Language Charades

Here’s a great family game that encourages kids—and grown-ups, too!—to imagine the inner world and community life of birds!

This is an improv game in which the family breaks into teams of two or more and comes up with a scenario that birds in the wild might experience. Then the team acts out the scenario and the other team describes what they’re seeing. Or the whole family can come up with the scenario together and act it out!

Here are a few scenarios to inspire some fun family acting moments:

  • A mother bird tries to feed several babies, but she is keenly aware of a predator bird, like a sharp-shinned hawk, nearby. (The mother bird may stay very close to the nest, taking a lot of moments to stop and look around nervously, while making a short call.)
  • A pair of birds are feeding and companion calling (to let each other know they are okay where they are). Two more birds fly into their territory. How does everyone respond?
  • A group of chickadees is feeding when a human enters their territory. As the human walks through, a weasel sneaks off into the bushes.

—Forest Kindergarten instructor Julie Kunz

Flying Deer Nature Center