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Volunteering at Scouts is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing to help us reach more young people

Volunteering is changing at Scouts. Read more

Discover what this means

Make a cosy nest

Look high, low, near, and far to spot a bird nest – then make your own.

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You’ll need

  • Natural materials (for example, leaves, twigs, feathers)

Before you begin

  • Think about where you’ll collect your natural materials – if you don’t have outdoor space at your meeting place, you could visit a park or woodland.
  • In the UK, the nesting season runs from February to August. Some birds (for example, wood pigeons) nest all year round.
  • In some seasons (for example, winter), you’ll probably find less natural material to gather. You could bring some of your own, but make sure it’s all natural if you’re going to leave the nests outside. Cotton wool isn’t great, for example, as birds can get tangled in it. Pet hair is fine, but only if the pet hasn’t been groomed or treated for fleas, worms, or any other medical condition recently. You can also use sheep’s wool or cut up human hair.

Time to sing

  1. Everyone should spend some time quietly searching for a bird’s nest. If anyone spots one, they shouldn’t touch or disturb it at all – but they can calmly and quietly show their friends. Everyone should look at what shape the nest is and what it’s made of.
  1. Everyone should split into pairs.
  2. The person leading the game should tell everyone where they’re allowed to go, for example, they should all stay in sight. Each pair should choose a place to build their cosy nest, thinking about what birds may like. Bushes and trees are great – people could build their nest on the ground and then place it there if that’s easier.
  3. Everyone should collect materials to build their cosy nest. They could look out for sticks, twigs, and mud to make strong outsides, and feathers, grass, or wool for cosy inside linings. If anyone comes across any litter, they should collect it so they can throw it away later.
  4. Each pair should work together to build their nest. They should try to make it shaped a bit like a bowl, so birds have a place to rest and look after their eggs (and chicks).
  5. Once everyone’s finished, they should look at each other’s nests. Where did other people put their nests?

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the chance to appreciate the outdoors. What did people see around them when they were searching for a place to build their cosy nest? People may have spotted grass, mud, trees, flowers, and maybe even a pond or lake. Did anyone find anything that didn’t belong in a natural area, such as litter? What did people do with any litter they found? Hopefully they collected it to go in a bin (though they shouldn’t remove litter that’s been built into an existing nest). This activity was also about helping wildlife in the local area. Everyone learned how to build a bird’s nest. Can anyone remember why they’re a bowl shape? The shape keeps the eggs safe so they don’t fall out. People can help birds to build nests by leaving out natural materials including grass, sheep wool, or pet fur (as long as the pet hasn’t been groomed or treated for fleas, worms, or any other medical condition recently).

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Outdoor activities

You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.

Gardening and nature

Everyone must wash their hands after the activity has finished. Wear gloves if needed. Explain how to safely use equipment and set clear boundaries so everyone knows what’s allowed.

Birds manage to build nests using just their beaks! For an extra challenge, people could try doing their activity with one arm behind their back, and moving their other hand open and closed like a bird’s beak.

You could make the nests inside and take them outdoors another time. If anyone doesn’t want to touch the natural materials, they could wear gloves or direct a partner who’s happy to get hands on.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.