Children's Educational Bird Box Web Camera

We have always been keen to weave aspects of the natural world into the topics the children choose. One way we do this is by having bird boxes at the nurseries. The children are always fascinated when a nest is brought out of one, as they have watched the birds popping in and out in the Spring, but could never see inside. So this year we created our very own "BirdCam" which will have opened at the bottom of this page.

We had a new bird box fitted to the front of our Haslemere nursery which is an old farmhouse. A camera was built into the box and then linked to one of the computers in the nursery. Specialist software was purchasing called ICatcher Wildlife which then enables the live feed from the camera to be displayed on a screen and also linked into the web site so other nurseries and parents can follow the story.

The children at Haslemere simply click on the BirdCam icon on the web site homepage and it opens the live feed. They can then use the “playback” button, select the busiest time shown by the red bars, and “play”. They love seeing the bird moving in the box and tidying her nest. They are learning a whole range of things from the opportunity. The BirdCam has been very beneficial to the children in developing their learning through the area of knowledge and understanding of the world and ICT. They are familiar with using digital cameras and take their own pictures, and also develop good mouse skills with computer based learning programmes. Explaining the link between bird box, camera and computer is yet another aspect. They are having the fun of being able to watch an empty box have a nest carefully built inside, then the eggs being laid, and then the feeding of the little babies. It is all very exciting for them. They love the daily changes, and are absorbed.

You too can follow the progress, or after the birds have left the nest visit the “playback” section, alter the date at the bottom, I suggest from June onwards, and then double click on the red activity bars that appear under the picture.

Have Fun!
Peter