Build a Naturalist Nest

Creation for Kids in Church Camps

Build a Naturalist Nest (Animals Architecture)

In this Camp Kirchenwald favorite, kids work together to build a nest big enough for me to sleep in. In doing so they learn about shelter, how to choose building materials, how quickly a nest can be made, and how to place a nest. Use branches and mud to build the nest and choose a site under the shelter of trees. Besides those few instructions, allow the campers to create the nest according to their own designs.

For larger groups, divide the campers into smaller units and give each group an assignment of a different animal home. For instance, instruct some to make a nest on the ground, some off the ground, a beaver dam, and so on. Have a staff member to work with each group to keep the campers on task. Discuss how the buildings shelter the animals and why each animal might build as it does. Building a beaver dam can stand as its own activity, in which case point out the way in which the dam changes the environment in which it was built. Be sure to tear down the dam after you are finished enjoying it.