Prepare for these preschool activities by doing a little online research about the crows and ravens in your area. I live in New England and so I researched Fish Crows, American Crows, and Common Ravens. In your research, print out a picture and try to locate the call of the different birds so you can play the sounds for your preschoolers. (The calls are much more distinct than the appearances of crows and #.)
Background Information
Many crows and ravens share characteristics:
# These birds are opportunistic omnivores that primarily feed while walking on the ground.
# These birds are social and will live in large families that forage together, defend territories, and care for young.
# The nests are made of sticks and twigs.
# The young birds may stay with their parents for six years. They can live for 13 years in the wild.
# Crows can understand approximately 100 words and can mimic voices and sounds.
# Crows and ravens are pranksters and thieves. (Check out, and perhaps share with your students, this video on BBC News with a clever crow that uses sticks as tools to get to a treat.)
Start the lesson by showing pictures of the crows and ravens in your area while playing the different calls. You can even see if the kids can listen to the sounds a second or third time and point to the correct picture.
If your class has access to sticks, the kids could try to build nests on the ground, practicing stacking and interlocking the twigs.
Show the video of the crow using tools or explain that crows are very smart birds. (You may discover stories about crow intelligence while looking online.)
Next, have the kids solve a problem, such as moving lightweight objects (pony beads or buttons with shanks) with chenille stem or wood skewers from the floor or table into a bow or cup.
Play a mimic game, where the kids must mimic a series of sounds or actions that you make. (Start with a series of three and then add another component for each successful round.)
Gather a dozen shiny items for a concentration game. (Keys, costume jewelry, beads, buttons, polished rocks) Start off with five or so items on the table or floor. Cover with a cloth. Slide your hand beneath the cloth and remove one of the items. Lift away the item and the cloth. Can the children name what is missing? Explain that crows love shiny objects (and will take them to bring to their nests).
Give each child a paper plate (it doesn’t matter the size). Have the kids paint the plates black or use black plates.
Trace the kids’ hands with the fingers wide. Cute out the shapes and glue to either side of the plate for wings.
Give the kids black and white circles and yellow triangles to glue in place as facial features.
These activities give preschoolers hands-on experiences that help them understand some of the facts about these interesting and intelligent birds.
Photo by Susan Caplan McCarthy
