I.D. Bird Cards are educational tools to help children learn to
identify birds. The design of the cards is based upon three
part nomenclature materials used in Montessori classrooms.
The cards allow for the image of the bird to be connected with
the species name of the bird through a variety of learning
games and opportunities. The card cover can easily be used
to cover up the name of the bird while the bird’s image is
being viewed. Through a variety of games, parents (or other
educators) can help their children learn to identify birds. (See
more below.)
Why do children and Nestling Tours parents
love I.D. Bird Cards?
We have found that if children learn to identify birds before
going into the field, they enjoy birding and hiking at a birder’s
pace much more. We have also been astounded by how
quickly children can learn and how much they enjoy learning
with I.D. Bird Cards.
If your children do not yet enjoy birding, please consider
getting a deck of I.D. Bird Cards.
Children will enjoy viewing the cards, playing with the cards,
and learning to identify birds. Children will be excited to find
the birds they know in the field. Some children even enjoy
collecting these cards.
To get your free deck of nine cards now, just fill send us
your email address. Also, feel free to call us at 1-888-203-
7464 and ask for the your free pack of cards.
identification and to enjoy birding more!!
First: Simply start by letting your children see the I.D. Bird
Cards. Most children immediately enjoy the bird images
and will be curious about what birds are on the cards. Many
children just start reading the bird names as they look
through the card deck.
Second: You may want to go through the card deck with your
children and help them learn the bird identification cues. If
they (or you) need some help, consult a bird guide. Children
will also learn by your example and start to consult a bird
guide on their own. Within 15 minutes of using the cards,
my niece consulted a bird guide for the first time in her
eleven year old lifetime.
Third: Through a variety of games which you can then teach
your child, they will be able to connect the bird image to the
bird name. One effective, simple game is to slip three to six
I.D. Bird Cards into their plastic sleeves (which will cover up
the name of the bird), mix the cards around, and then allow
the child the opportunity to describe the name of each bird
on the image. Some children can learn to identify 45 birds
in just a few hours.
In my family, the pace of learning varies. Parents will have
more success if they can allow children to enjoy various
paces of learning.
Fourth: Take your child into the field (go birding with your
children)! The next best way to learn these birds is to find
them in a scope or through binoculars and to let your child
identify them in the field. Though seeing a bird in the field is
different than seeing them on the I.D. Bird Cards, children
will learn to enjoy bird watching and identification in the field.
Again, you will have more success if you allow your child to
enjoy learning at a different pace than you and if you respect
the different learning styles and rates of learning between
children.
Next: Allow your child to build a log of the birds they have
seen in the field. The log can be supported by the I.D. Bird
Cards (which fit easily in 3 by 3 baseball card plastic cover
storage sheets). The log can also be supported by the Field
Log Companion Cards (see below).
If you have any questions about how to use these cards to
teach or to learn bird identification, please contact us. We
will also gladly send you a free deck of I.D. Bird Cards.
Note on Field Log Companion Cards: Field Log Companion
Cards will guide your child through the process of learning
to identify birds. They also provide opportunities for children
to learn field identification cues and to begin taking field
notes. On the Field Log Companion Cards, the child can
record the species name, the bird identification cues, the
date they first identified the bird in the field, and other field
notes.
Note of Learning Games: More information on these
games will be available on the web soon. If you would like
more information, just send us a note over our website.
Please include your name and email address so that we
can email you this information.
