Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Paper · The activity desk
Flapping paper plate bird
Make a bird with bendable paper wings for pretend flight.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
A paper plate, a full sheet of paper, large child-appropriate crayons, and tape.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Fold the sheet lengthwise into one wide strip. Place it behind the plate so equal lengths extend on both sides.
Adult's role: Secure the center of the strip to the back of the plate with tape and stay beside the child during play.
Let's make it happen
- Draw a bird face and feathers on the front of the plate. Color the paper wings.
- After the adult secures the wings, gently bend each wing up and down near the plate.
- Hold the plate and make up a story about where the bird flies.
Make it simpler: Draw wings on the plate and move the whole bird together.
Clean up: Put away crayons and save or recycle the bird.
Adult supervises tape and removes loose or torn pieces. Observe real birds from a distance.