I cannot think of a better way to get children into the wonderful world of nature than bird watching.
Sure you could take them to the zoo but then they would see animals in cages and not the way nature intended, plus you will find that animals do behave quite differently in the wild.
I remember my grandmother had a bird feeder.
She will fill it every morning and we would sit on her screen patio and watch the birds come by for a visit.
I was instantly fascinated with birds.
I had no idea there were so many different types.
Soon my grandmother let me take care of her feeders and she would sit back and watch.
As I grew up I never forgot those moments in her backyard and with it came a thirst for knowledge.
I started seeking out books and field guides on birds.
The amount of information in these books was staggering.
They told me what the birds were, where to find them and what they ate.
It also showed me how the same bird can look so different at different times of the year.
I had no idea! This fascination with birds helped teach me to read and soon I could not get enough.
My grandmother would just smile when I started naming all of the birds.
I think bird watching is a great way to get your children involved in the wonderful world around them and who knows, it might inspire them to read!