Pretty soon here in the Midwest, birds will be making their way back up here from their winter hiatus. During this time, they will need to start to make their nests to welcome their young. It is fun for children to help them out. There are many things that you can offer for nesting materials. Below are several that are favorites.

Next time you or your child go in for a hair cut, bring a baggie and ask the cutter if you can keep the cut locks. This only works if it is an inch or more that is going to be cut. Once home, go outside and sprinkle the hair around the yard or park. Children will love to dance around while spreading the hair around.

Any scraps of yarn work well for this. Otherwise, buy a skein from a local craft or hobby store. Cut the yarn into pieces from 2 to 5 inches in length. Once cut, distribute them through the yard. Go for walks with your child and look for nests and try to see if you can see the yarn that you provided for them.

You can also use scraps of material for nesting material. Cut or tear material into 1” x 2-5” pieces. Scatter them around your yard. When you go for walks, you can look for the material too. For optimal visibility, use brightly colored fabric. Birds do not seem to care what color their nesting materials are.