Group Activities
Adult-Child
Nature Friends
Polk County Conservation Board
Age level: 4 or 5 year olds
and an adult
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Topic: Eggs
Theme: Many animals hatch from eggs.
Time: 1 hour
The Nature Friends program is for 4-
or 5-year old children with an adult. Maximum group size if 20 child-adult
teams. Programs are outside unless weather does not permit.
Title: Eggciting Facts
Story: Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones by Ruth Heller
Discussion:
- What are the parts of an egg? (Use felt board and parts
of egg felt pieces)
- Eggshell - used by the baby bird to form its bones,
as the bones get stronger the eggshell gets weaker
- Yolk - food for the baby bird
- Air sac - pocket of air that the baby chick uses to
start breathing before it hatches
- Membranes - thin skins that help the egg breath,
keep the egg from drying out
- Egg white - contains mostly water, protects the
chick so it won’t get germs
- “What animals come from eggs?” (Show an example of
each)
- Amphibians - jelly like eggs that need to be laid in
the water
- Reptiles - tough leathery shells
- You can make a reptile egg by soaking a chicken egg
in vinegar for 1-2 days.
- Discuss how bird nests are different sizes and are
made with different materials.
- Show students the size of an eagle’s nest, than have
students sit in the nest. Count the number of students it takes to fill
it. Discuss that an eagle will make a nest of sticks and lays 2-3 eggs
- Mammals - platypus and spiny anteater also lay eggs!
Activity: Egg Count and Sort
Count the numbers of plastic eggs in
the basket. Sort them by color. Use flannel eggs on flannel board to have a
child place eggs in order by size.
Craft: Egg Mosaic
Before program, clean several egg
shells. Dye the shells with food coloring if you like. Give each child a piece
of construction paper, pencil and glue. Ask the children to draw a shape. It
can an outline of an egg or an animal or simply a shape, let them choose.
Spread glue inside the shape. Add dry crushed egg shells to the glue. Let dry.
Snack: Bird Nests. (serves 6)
(make before program if time is
restricted to one hour)
Ingredients
2 large shredded wheat biscuits
1/4 cup coconut
1T brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine
Jelly beans or yogurt covered raisins
1. In large mixing bowl, crumble
shredded wheat and stir in coconut and sugar. Pour melted margarine over
mixture and stir.
2. Place muffin cup liners in muffin
pan. Press shredded wheat mixture into bottom and on sides of each
cup. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until crisp.
3. Fill nests with jelly beans or
yogurt covered raisins.
Finger Play:
Words
Action
Ten little eggs,
Hold hands up, fingers straight
All in a
mound.
Join hands together in a ball
Out come caterpillars,
Extend and wiggle fingers
crawling all around.
Then they will
sleep Lay
head to one side on hands
and we all know why.
Soon they’ll become
Hold hands
up, fingers straight, wave fingers
butterflies
References:
Cox, Nonie. Animals from Eggs.1993
...prepared by Lori Foresman-Kirpes
Polk County Conservation Board
Nature Friends is funded by Polk
County Conservation Board,
West Des Moines Park and Recreation
and the Des Moines Chapter of the
Izaak Walton League.
Age
4-6
Multiple Intelligences
Linguistic
(reading, talking)
Logical-mathematical
(numbers, reasoning)
Spatial (drawing, mapping)
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Gross motor or kinesthetic
development (moving, running, moving your body, jumping)
Small motor or tactual development
(blocks, puzzles, sensory)
Musical
(songs, patterns, sound)
Interpersonal
(understanding other people and
social interactions)
Naturalist
(understanding of the physical
world, nature)