The Dawn Chorus by Suzanne Barton
The Dawn Chorus tells the story of an inquisitive young bird who longs to sing with friends. Read or watch the story with your child and try the activities below. They will help your child look and listen carefully to what is around them and think about what they are good at.
Watch the story
- As you are reading or watching the story together, encourage your child to join in with the sounds that Peep can hear, such as the croaking frog or the squeaking mouse.
- Talk about what other things you can hear outside, such as the leaves rustling in the wind.
- At the end of the story, discuss how Peep was good at singing but it took him a little while to find the right way to do it. Talk about what your child is good at and that sometimes we need to practise to get better at things
Bird play!
After you have finished the story, try these bird-themed activities together.
Watch and listen to the birds
Go outside to your garden or an outside space. Look around carefully and listen to the sounds you can hear. Can you see or hear any birds singing? Try it at different times of the day and talk about what you have discovered.
Feed the birds
Make some bird cakes or create a bird friendly space by following this advice from the RSPB. Once birds start coming to your garden, talk about what they look like and the different sounds they make.
Hanging birds
Create your own birds like the ones in the book. Visit Suzanne Barton’s website for a template or draw your own. You can paint or colour the birds and even add feathers and googly eyes. Encourage your child to talk about what they are doing as they create their birds.
Songs and rhymes
Sing these rhymes about birds Yellow Bird, Two Little Dickie Birds
For older children
Find out more about nightingales. You could use this nightingale fact file on the RSPB website.
