Bird Nest Craft: How to Make with a Paper Plate

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This easy paper plate bird nest craft for kids is a frugal and fun way to enjoy a creative activity.

It's a cute project that's fantastic for spring, Letter N or B themes, and anytime you'd like to have some screen-free fun. When my boys were younger, we did this craft as part of our early summer nature activities.

I'm sharing my tips and ideas for making this nest craft, as well as easy-to-follow instructions (with pictures to guid the way). It’s a craft your kids will love and turns into a sweet homemade decoration, too.

A Neat Way to Enjoy a Nature-Themed Craft

Need a simple activity to use with your kids that celebrates nature? Maybe you're getting ready for a Letter N (or even B) lesson or week? Perhaps you've seen a bird nest (like we did!) on a walk and want a cool project to keep the learning adventures going?

Well, this paper plate bird nest craft is a brilliant idea for all of those things and more!

Nature walks are one of our favorite homeschool things to do. Our outdoor treks aren't formal or even well-planned. When we have time in our routine and the weather is mostly cooperative, my boys and I head to one of our local walking trails. These walks, however, were often challenging when my boys were younger.

I would encourage my boys to be as quiet as possible so we could observe nature. I found that giving my boys specific things to look for helped them to better listen. We made a list of nature items to find. When we would stumble upon a bird nest, it was always exciting!

In fact, we still get excited when we find a nest. Last week, my youngest (11) discovered one during a walk in our backyard. Bear (14), our resident "bird watcher" as we affectionately call him, got out his binoculars and we took turns looking at the nest. It was such a delightful connection to our bird next experiences when they were younger.

I was reminded of this this bird nest craft that we enjoyed when they were little. Luckily, my boys still like doing crafts with me and helped me recreate it to share with you!

What You'll Need for This Bird Nest Craft

Here's a supply list for the materials to make this craft. If you'd like your project to look like the examples in this tutorial, you'll need:

• Paper plates
• Brown paint & paint brush
• Orange craft foam (or orange paper)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Googly eyes
• Big blue pom poms
• Raffia (or shredded paper)

I highly recommend that you customize your project. Think about what types of birds that you'd like in your nest and use colors accordingly (like black, red, or brown). If you would prefer to not use paint, you can use tempera paint sticks (like Kwik Stix) to keep this activity as mess-free as possible.

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How to Make Your Paper Plate Bird Nest

Frequently Asked Questions About This Nest Craft

Creative Ideas for Making and Using Your DIY Bird Nest

Before you start this bird nest craft with your students, chat about what a bird nest is. You can read about or look up videos on how different birds make their nests. From what you've learned, come up with a plan on how to make your own nests.

After the paint is dry on your paper plate nest, you can add texture if you have time. Glue on small twigs or torn pieces of brown paper or paper bag.

A fun idea is to find a larger stick to place your DIY bird nest on when your project is complete. Or you can use a hold punch towards the top outer corners of the nest. Thread string or yarn through the holes and hang for a cute decoration in your homeschool area, library, or classroom.

More Fun and Frugal Crafts for Kids

A clever craft like this one (that's also budget-friendly) is a wonderful start to boosting creativity. And you can totally enjoy more activities to keep your kids engaged and excited. A few of our top picks for frugal crafts are:

• Glowing firefly craft (a toilet paper roll project)
• Ice cream cone craft
• Torn paper fireworks craft
• Beaded pipe cleaner flowers
• Torn paper rainbow craft (with cotton ball clouds)

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