This lovely, well thought out and detailed activity comes from our lovely Amanda. Amanda has been with Tree House Learning for years in one capacity or another, starting out as a parent and is currently a Forest School leader. Amanda’s sessions are always really well planned but she stays open and is ready for anything. They often include song and are so thoughtfully age appropriate. This activity is great for preschool aged children and would go along well with the nest building we did last week. Thank you Amanda, for the activity but also for all that you bring to THL.

Tree Cone and Clay Eggs

You will need:

• Tree cones
• clay
• your nest from last week OR dried grass and moss

When you head out for your walk today you can search for tree cones or your can use ones you already have at home. If you did not make a nest with us last week you can do that activity first or you can give each child some hay and ask them if they can make a bowl shape that holds an egg.

Questions to consider during this stage are:

Are eggs strong of delicate?

Do they crack easily?

Why does a bird use a nest?

What is inside eggs?

If you can find something soft e.g. wool or moss from a lawn, can then ask:

What would the birds use this for?

When the nests are made, give the children pine cones to hold, present the clay.

Can you press the clay into the pine cone?

How can you make the cone more like an egg?

What shape is an egg?

What is the surface of an egg like — smooth or bumpy?

The children can start pressing clay into the small spaces in the pine cones, let the children ask you for more clay and give them small amounts to work with each time.

Can you envelope, put around, stretch the clay, fill the gaps with the clay?

When their eggs are complete they can put them into their nests and try to find a safe place to put the nest.

Where would a bird build its nest?

Where would it be safe?

Please do let us know how your egg making goes. What did you notice about the process? Let us know on Facebook, twitter and/or instagram.

Happy laying!

April