Materials
Found items:
Pine or regular straw
Bits of fabric
Bits of thread
Twigs, broken into very small pieces
Dryer lint
Bits of grass
Craft feathers or real bird feathers
Petroleum jelly
Homemade glue (recipe on the following page)
Large mixing bowl
Instructions
What to do
1. Read The Magpies Nest by Joanna Foster. Talk about the nest that the birds built. Ask children if
they would like to try to build a nest just like the birds did.
2. Send a letter home to the parents asking them to send in items listed above, noting that you
will need lots of stuff as the children are going to make a larger-than-life-size nest.
3. After you have gathered enough items to build a nice nest, make your glue. Use the recipe on
the following page.
4. Coat the inside of the mixing bowl with petroleum jelly and then apply a thin layer of the glue
mixture. It will be hard to do, but keep at it.
5. Dump your found items out on a table. Sort out the lint and feathers and set them aside to be
used last.
6. Invite the children to begin to add the found items to the mixing bowl. Have them press the
material firmly against the glue mixture. Continue to layer the glue and nest materials, always
pressing them firmly against the sides of the pan. Keep the shape as round as possible.
Remember to fill in the bottom.
7. Keep going until you have used up all the materials and glue. Last, add the feathers and lint to
line the nest just as a real bird would.
8. Let your nest dry for several hours in a warm place.
9. Remove the nest from the mixing bowl. It will probably still be a little moist and messy. Place it
on a sturdy surface where you can leave it, such as on a work tray. Push down on the bottom to
flatten it slightly and lift up on the edges to make them a nice, round shape. It will continue to
dry over the next couple of days.
What to do
1. Read The Magpies Nest by Joanna Foster. Talk about the nest that the birds built. Ask children if
they would like to try to build a nest just like the birds did.
2. Send a letter home to the parents asking them to send in items listed above, noting that you
will need lots of stuff as the children are going to make a larger-than-life-size nest.
3. After you have gathered enough items to build a nice nest, make your glue. Use the recipe on
the following page.
4. Coat the inside of the mixing bowl with petroleum jelly and then apply a thin layer of the glue
mixture. It will be hard to do, but keep at it.
5. Dump your found items out on a table. Sort out the lint and feathers and set them aside to be
used last.
6. Invite the children to begin to add the found items to the mixing bowl. Have them press the
material firmly against the glue mixture. Continue to layer the glue and nest materials, always
pressing them firmly against the sides of the pan. Keep the shape as round as possible.
Remember to fill in the bottom.
7. Keep going until you have used up all the materials and glue. Last, add the feathers and lint to
line the nest just as a real bird would.
8. Let your nest dry for several hours in a warm place.
9. Remove the nest from the mixing bowl. It will probably still be a little moist and messy. Place it
on a sturdy surface where you can leave it, such as on a work tray. Push down on the bottom to
flatten it slightly and lift up on the edges to make them a nice, round shape. It will continue to
dry over the next couple of days.
