Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Winter Birds Spotter: Free Printable Game for Year 1
- ForYear 1
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Winter Birds Spotter is a free printable game for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children sit by a window with a grown-up and tick the garden birds they see on a checklist. It takes about 20 minutes, or it can be spread over a few days. All you need is a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Page 1 is a checklist of common garden birds, from the robin and the blue tit to the wood pigeon and the wren. A child sits quietly by a window with a grown-up, looks out and ticks each bird they spot. They match the names to what they see, and they keep a record on the page. It can be done in one go or over a few days.
- Robin
- Blue tit
- Great tit
- Blackbird
- House sparrow
- Wood pigeon
- Starling
- Goldfinch
- Chaffinch
- Magpie
- Wren
- Collared dove
Why watch garden birds in winter?
Winter days are short and cold, and food can be harder for birds to find. Many garden birds spend much of the day looking for something to eat. Bare branches and fewer leaves can also make birds easier to spot. Many of our common garden birds are in the UK all year round, so a window or a garden is a good place to start looking.
Bird spotting is a gentle way into science. Children look closely, put a name to what they see and keep a record. It also teaches patience, because birds do not appear on demand. Watching the same spot more than once lets children notice that different days bring different visitors.
Watch the birds from a distance and never touch wild birds. If you go outside or fill a feeder, an adult should do it and everyone should wash their hands afterwards.
Garden bird facts
- Birds are the only animals that have feathers.
- Birds have beaks instead of teeth.
- In cold weather, birds can fluff up their feathers to trap warm air close to their bodies.
- Different birds have different shaped beaks, which suit the food they eat.
- All birds lay eggs.
Skills and curriculum link
- Observing closely
- Naming common birds
- Recording with ticks
- Sitting quietly and listening
- Talking about what they see
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | Science | Animals, including humans | Year 1 |
What children will be able to do
- I can name some common garden birds.
- I can spot and tick off birds I see.
- I can say what a bird looks like.
Ideas to help children spot and name birds
- Look before you tickAsk your child to watch a bird for a few seconds first. Is it big or small? Does it hop or walk? Then decide which name on the list fits.
- Use a pictureA bird book or a printed photo helps children match a real bird to a name. Hold it up beside the window and compare.
- Stay still and quietBirds are easily startled. Sit a little back from the glass and speak in whispers so the birds stay nearby.
- Record as you goTick each bird straight away so nothing is forgotten. A tick shows a bird was seen, and it is a simple way to keep a record.
Key words
- ObserveTo look carefully and notice details.
- Garden birdA bird that often visits gardens, parks and feeders.
- ChecklistA list where you tick each thing as you find it.
- RecordTo write down or tick what you found so you can remember it.
- BeakThe hard part of a bird's face that it uses to eat.
- FeatherOne of the light, soft parts that cover a bird's body.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Read the bird names on the checklist together before you start, so your child knows what to look for.
- Sit still and quiet by a window. Work through the sheet together the first time and talk about each bird you see.
- Tick each bird as it appears. Check your notes against page 2 and ask your child to tell you what the bird looked like.
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence, and a new day may bring new birds.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Look at a bird book or picture together and match. Point to one bird on the checklist at a time and ask your child to find it in the book. Then look out of the window and see if the same bird is there.
To stretch confident children
Count how many of each bird you see in a set time chosen by the grown-up. Write the numbers beside the checklist. Then ask which bird was seen most, and whether the result is the same on another day.
Make it a game
Race a friend to tick the most birds. Each player uses their own copy and watches from the same window. Whoever ticks the most different birds wins. Stay quiet, or the birds will fly away. If no birds come, try again later.
Talk about it
- Which bird would you most like to see, and why?
- How are two of the birds on the list different from each other?
- What do you think the birds are looking for in winter?
- Where do you think the birds go when it rains?
- What was the biggest bird you saw? What was the smallest?
- What would you change about our spot to see more birds?
Take it off the page
Draw your favourite
Choose one bird from the list and draw it from memory. Then check a picture and add anything you missed.
Bird sounds
Stand quietly outside or by an open window and listen. Can you hear more than one sound? Try to copy the ones you hear.
Bird count chart
Make a simple tally chart on plain paper. Each time a bird visits, add a mark. Look at the chart at the end of the day.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep the notes on page 2 to hand. Praise careful looking and quiet waiting, not just the number of ticks. If no birds come, try another day.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It supports the Year 1 science strand on animals, including humans. Children can tick birds seen from a classroom window or on a short outdoor look. Check it against your own plan.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider science plan. It pairs well with bird books, nature walks and drawing. Use it again for brothers and sisters, or repeat it in a different season to see what changes.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children notice and talk about the animals around them. They begin to say what animals look like, and to learn the names of the ones they see often.
After it, children can compare animals more closely and sort them into groups. They can describe how different animals look and what they eat, and keep records of what they see over time.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What colour is the bird and how big is it?
- Which bird did you see most?
- How can you tell two birds apart?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Winter Birds Spotter for?
It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. It supports the science strand on animals, including humans, through simple looking and naming.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 20 minutes, or you can spread it over a few days. Birds do not arrive on demand, so coming back to the sheet another day often works well.
- Does my child need to do it with a grown-up?
Yes. The sheet is set up for 1 child with a grown-up. The adult sits beside the child, helps with names and keeps the notes on page 2.
- What if we do not see many birds?
That is fine. Try again at a different time of day or on another day. Quiet sitting by a window helps. You can also look at a bird book together and match the pictures.
- Do I need to print it in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. A bird book or pictures can give your child the colour they need to match what they see.
- Is it suitable for use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. It also gets children looking outdoors and talking about what they see.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.