Introduce children to hummingbirds by encouraging them to observe and draw these tiny birds or create a simple, fun outdoor craft. Hang the finished ornaments on trees to celebrate nature and inspire a love for the environment!
Hummingbirds have long been considered messengers of joy, and spotting one is often regarded as a sign of good luck. When my daughter was born (a few years ago now), I noticed many tiny, vibrant birds fluttering nearby as if celebrating her arrival. Since then, we have created beautiful hummingbird crafts to honour tree-planting hero and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai. Maathai often shared the inspiring story of the hummingbird: A tale of perseverance and doing one's best.
My daughter loved making these hummingbird tree decorations, as the process involved finger painting—one of her favourite activities. We crafted several of these ornaments and hung them in trees across Canada. A couple of months later, we travelled to Zambia for a tree-planting initiative through The ChariTree Foundation. While there, I shared the hummingbird craft and story with the local children, tying it to our shared goal of nurturing and protecting the environment.
Outdoor experiences profoundly impact children's development, enhancing creativity, imagination, and wonder. Nature’s dynamic environment encourages exploration, problem-solving, and unstructured play, which is essential for cognitive and emotional growth. Fresh air, sunlight, and physical activity boost well-being, reducing stress and elevating mood. Activities like climbing trees, crafting, and wildlife observation foster curiosity, resilience, and a lasting bond with nature.
Hummingbird Craft
Create a beautiful, glittering hummingbird to celebrate nature.
Supply List
- Eco-friendly finger paints (blue, green, silver, or any favourite colours)
- Two sheets of recycled paper (check your recycling bin)
- Eco-friendly glitter (for extra sparkle)
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Dark blue marker
- Eco-friendly silver sparkle paint
- Hole punch
- Green ribbon
Instructions
- Have your child finger paint two pieces of paper with blue, green, and silver (or whatever colour combo you want)—try to fill both pages with paint.
- Before the paint dries, have your child sprinkle glitter over the pages.
- Let dry for three hours.
- Cut the two pages into one big oval for the hummingbird’s body; two big triangles for the wings; one smaller triangle for the tail; and one small but long triangle for the beak. See image.
- Fold the wings and the tailpiece accordion-style and glue them to the back of one oval. Then, add the beak.
- Glue the oval pieces together and use the marker to draw on the bird’s eyes and some hearts on the hummingbird’s body.
- Draw lines along the wings with your silver sparkle paint.
- Once dry, punch a hole with a hole punch in one wing and tie a ribbon through it.
- Go outside and hang it from a tree.
By making these crafts, children can connect with nature in a meaningful way while learning about the importance of doing their best to help the environment—just like the little hummingbird in Maathai’s story.
Now that you've finished your hummingbird craft, it's time for a real adventure. Grab your binoculars, open a bird-watching app, and find a comfy spot to sit. Look carefully and see if you can spot their super-fast wings, tiny feet, or long beaks sipping nectar. Stay patient and keep your eyes wide open—these little birds move fast. You never know when a hummingbird will zip by and do something amazing right in front of you!
Hummingbird Watching 101
Watching hummingbirds is a great way for children to learn about nature while practicing patience and appreciating the importance of conservation. Here’s what kids can discover while observing these amazing birds:
- Long-distance travellers—Some hummingbirds migrate over 3,000 miles every year to find food and warmer weather.
- Super-fast wings—Hummingbirds flap their wings 50 to 80 times per second, making them one of the fastest birds in the world.
- Incredible speed—They can fly up to 30 miles per hour (48 Kph) and even faster when diving.
- Hovering masters—Unlike most birds, hummingbirds can hover in place, fly backward, and even upside down!
- Nature’s pollinators—As they sip nectar from flowers, they help plants grow by spreading pollen, just like bees.
- Tiny but mighty—The smallest hummingbird (bee hummingbird), weighs less than a penny!
Learning about hummingbirds and their survival helps children understand why we need to protect flowers, trees, and clean water sources—while also inspiring kids to be changemakers by growing a lifelong love for wildlife and nature.
