Blog post !: Invention of a bird feeder

There is a bird feeder at my sustained practicum centre, which was invented by two boys and a girl all aged four years. The bird feeder has two natural coloured seashells, three different shapes of soft wood and a cord of beads hanging from a tree branch.

The inspiration of inventing a bird feeder come about when B, noticed that the two bird feeders purchased by the centre and placed on the ground were constantly tempered by children playing near them, therefore was defeating the purpose of having them. This prompted B, with the support of two other children to make their own design, and to look for a suitable place for their invention. With full support and encouragement from the teachers the three children began their task. 

To get some ideas, the children used the design of a bird feeder from a book. After a lot of planning and consultation from teachers, books and magazines, a decision to use soft wood; seashells, finishing nails, a screw hook, and a wire covered with beads and pieces of round wood formed a cord, was finalized, by the children. The technological tools used were; a tape measure, pencil, hand jigsaws, both hand and electrical drills, and hammers.

Technology, stimulate children’s creativity (Smorti, 1999). Children’s technological experience was to design and make a bird feeder, and the technological tools were the underlying principle. The selected pieces of wood was measured with a measuring tape, and cut to required and desired sizes with the use of a hand jigsaw. Both hand and electrical drills were used to make pilot holes. The drills required more force than the four year olds could provide, therefore one of the teachers helped by using G- clamps to hold the wood firm while drilling, at the same time children were learning how to make pilot holes. The pilot holes made it easier for the screws to fit in. Some parts of wood was nailed together using a hammer. The shells were obtained from the centre’s resource room. It was easy to nail the shells to the piece of wood, because the type of shells used have natural holes. And a hook was used to connect a cord of beads to the bird feeder.

The activity was sustained by the shared interest of children supported by us teachers. Dunkin (2001) says, children’s interest are extended when teachers participate in their activities. The minimum help children received was helpful in achieving their goal of exploring the concept of making a bird feeder, through the combination of knowledge, skills and resources. For instance, children used manipulative skills associated with carpentry, therefore helped to enhance children’s hand-eye co-ordination and strengthening of their small and large muscles (Ministry of Education, 1996), in terms of fitting and placing. Both new and familiar tools were used, and children were taught names of the tools, and how to use them correctly and appropriately. Children preferred adult sized hammers and electrical drill, despite the tools being heavy children did cope well with them,

For safety reasons, the carpentry area was supervised at all time by a teacher. Te Whãriki, the early childhood curriculum, stresses the importance of providing a safe environment for all children (Ministry of Education, 1996). With new set of skills developed, through this technological success story, not only the three but more other children are now thinking of new project. This is in line with enhancing Te Whãriki’s guidelines of building respectful relationships with people, places, living and non-living things (Ministry of Education, 1996).

REFERENCES

Dunkin, D., & Hanna, P. 92001). Thinking together: Quality adult child interactions. Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Ministry of Education. (1996).Te Whāriki: He Whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.

Smorti, S. (1999). Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, No. 19 Autumn  1999.