A Piece of Chiot’s Run
Our nieces and nephew were planning on visiting this week, but the trip got cancelled for a few different reasons. Since they can’t make it up to Maine, we decided to send them a fun activity. Over the past few months I’ve been gathering feathers as I find them in the gardens. Most of them are from our birds, the ducks, guineas, and chickens. There are, however, a few wild turkey feathers in there as well.
I put all the feathers in a bag and made a poster with photos of all the different birds the feathers came from. The kids will are supposed to try to match the feather to the bird it came from. Some will be easy, like the polka dot pearl guinea feathers and the big wild turkey feathers, but others will be more difficult. There are about 50 feathers in the envelope.
Hopefully they will have fun with this activity. I remember that I loved collected feathers when I was a little girl, hopefully they enjoy this collection as much as I enjoyed mine.
Did you ever collect feathers as a kid?
Filed under Around the Garden | Comments (13)
That is a fun activity of kids. I too remembered growing up with lots of feathers around. We had enough to make our pillows(10) and to play with. I still collect them to use around the house…………feather duster.
to Lemongrass's comment
Still do! and so do my kids.
to Adriana's comment
Hi,
Wild birds can have all sorts of tiny bugs on them. Kids like to put feathers in their hair. So, Put the feathers in a bag and toss them in your freezer for 24 hours first. Also if there are pet birds in the house be very careful about bringing in wild bird feathers. My friend got her parakeets very sick by bringing into her house a barn coat that had been left in the barn a week, near where the barn swallows were living.
Kit Duffield
to Kit Duffield's comment
You are such a marvelous aunt! What a creative thing to do :) I homeschool my son and that is a great idea…I still collect feathers….As a matter of fact last week we were on the isle of palms and in addition to shell collecting on my walks….feather collecting was in order as well :) They now are stashed with all my others….along with my collection of nests…and eggs….
to amy's comment
Susy, nah, no feathers when I was a kid. All we had was chickens and pigeons for feathers. We would find a rotten egg occasionally which was great fun to heave far away and see it explode. Collecting feathers was far from my mind when I was climbing trees, falling in a barrel of oil, stuff my Dad’s watch down a rat hole, or jumping into a fresh dug toilet hole. Yes, I was indeed a curious hand full and my parents should have been given a medal. I learned to drive a tractor at the age of four by coasting it down a hill right into a tree. Well, gee I couldn’t get it stopped because my legs weren’t long enough to reach the brakes. Now does that sound like a young lad that would be interested in collecting feathers? No that wasn’t even on the radar. :0)
Have a great feather collecting day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment
Bummer that the trip got cancelled :(. Hope they get to reschedule. I’m sure they will love the feather challenge–great idea! That first photo is beautiful!
to Wendy's comment
When I was a kid, over 60 years ago, I had a feather and a skeleton collection. I spent my days in the woods with my German Shepherd. Funny thing, I do the same now.
to Jennifer Fisk's comment
My grandma’s neighbor kept peacocks, so I had quite a collection from their feathers, chickens, pheasants and wild birds at the house.
to Becky's comment
I still do actually. I found a really good one of a peacock once and it’s still sitting proudly on my shelf.
to Felicakes's comment
Absolutely! And I still love them. Right now I’m putting together a collection of them for a shadowbox. The bits and pieces of nature that I find and really look at always fascinate me. So easy to take all that detail for granted!
I’m sure your nieces and nephew will have great fun with your challenge! You are a sweet aunt to put it together for them!
to Sam's comment
If there is a feather on the ground, I pick it up. I have a vase full on my piano. I even have have a tiny green jeweled hummingbird feather. I keep that one in my jewelry box. :) Feathers are great additions to fall flower arrangements.
to Heidi's comment
What a great idea! Tanner and Abby love collecting feather too :)
to BJ's comment
Yes, too bad we can’t visit this week!! :( The kids will love the activity – I won’t tell them it’s coming!!
~W~
to Wendy's comment