How to Draw a Bird – Lesson Plans

There are all sorts of weird holidays out there, and recently as I was scrolling through a list of them I saw that April 8 is draw a bird day. I don’t know why, but it seems as good a reason as any to share some how to draw a bird videos.

It’s also appropriate because this year marks the 20th anniversary of the book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, who shares how to draw pigeon regularly (and recently taught the whole audience of The Tonight Show how to draw pigeon’s head using the letters of his first name).

There are a lot of great easy tutorials for kids (or adults) who want to learn how to draw birds.

Art Projects for Kids has a simple nine-step fat bird that looks like a blue jay or could be a cardinal or finch if colored differently. Another simple one that could be colored however you like is from How to Draw for Kids.

How to Draw Easy has another cute (and easy) little bird that won’t be hard for kids to draw.

I Heart Crafty Things has instructions for drawing a hummingbird and a cardinal, as well as her take on a pigeon. They’re all relatively easy but the hummingbird might be a little trickier for younger kids. (Incidentally, I Heart Crafty Things has a ton of drawing tutorials if you or your kids would like to learn how to draw things other than birds.)

This little stack of birds form Art Projects for Kids is super cute and simple to draw. If you want to make it even easier for littles, there’s a coloring page version, too. Color this one in with crayons or use watercolors for a different look.

If you want more doodle-like birds, check out the collection of 13 easy bird drawings at Shihori Obata. You can use these prompts directly or let them inspire you to make your own fun and cute bird drawings.

Next Plan Idea:

Bus Learning Activities

The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is important throughout Mexico and other parts of the world. Her feast day is Dec. 12, and the celebrations honoring her appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 begin a few days before that.

Whether you celebrate yourself or just want to share about the celebration at home or in your classroom, Las Mañanitas: The Beautiful Celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a good place to start. The book, by Ernesto Joel Vega Rosales and Jeanette Gonzalez Seneviratne, with illustrations by Dana Sanmar, tells the story of a family’s celebration of the feast day in both English and Spanish.

They prepare with a novena, which is nine days of prayers and preparations. The children, Lucia and Pablo, are given special outfits made by their grandmother that look like what Juan Diego might have worn when he saw Our Lady. The book describes the prayers that are made each day, such as a prayer for respect for life, for families and for the indigenous people of the Americas, to name a few.

As told in the book, Juan Diego was a native Mexican born near modern day Mexico City. His given name was Cuaauhtlatoatzin, which means “He who speaks like an eagle.” When he converted to Christianity his name was changed to Juan Diego, and as he walked to church he passed a hill called Tepeyac. One day he heard the birds singing especially beautifully and a voice called him to go to the top of the hill.

There he saw Our Lady of Guadalupe, who asked him to tell the bishop she wanted a chapel built in her name at the foot of the hill. The bishop asked for a sign that Juan Diego really saw her, and later she had him collect flowers that she blessed and take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego dropped the flowers, an image of Our Lady could be seen on his cloak, which is still on display in her basilica to this day.

The feast day is celebrated as mañanitas, which includes singing, indigenous music and dancing, and children presenting flowers to Our Lady. Juan Diego is remembered today as being humble, brave and faithful, and was the first indigenous American made a saint.

The book is colorful and tells the story in a clear way, and it’s fun to have it both in English and Spanish if you teach Spanish or speak Spanish at home or in the classroom. It’s a great way to learn the basics of the celebration and the story of Juan Diego and why he is still remembered today.

About the book: 40 pages, paperback, published 2024 by Loyola Press. Suggested retail price $14.99.

Next Plan Idea:

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