Window Bird Watch

What you need

• a window
• a chair or your lap

How to do it

1. Sit together by a window looking out.
2. Point at anything moving, like a bird, a leaf or a car, and name it softly.
3. Wait quietly and see what they spot next.
4. Let them point first once they get the idea.

Why it matters

Watching quietly together and naming what you see builds early vocabulary and the habit of paying attention.

What they're learning

joint attention

Following your point to the same bird is the same skill used later to follow a teacher's pointing finger on a whiteboard.

vocabulary building

Hearing 'bird', 'tree', 'cloud' attached to real things outside builds the words they'll use to describe their day.

sustained looking

Staying still and watching quietly for a few minutes is early practice for sitting through a story or a meal.

What to look for

Notice if they start pointing at things before you do.

A tip

Any window works. A bus stop, kitchen or bedroom window all count.

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