Birds

Fun, creative activities for kids, including kids craft ideas to keep them amused for hours!

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Quilled Hanging Bird

Spend some quiet time making beautiful birds, perfect for hanging in your window! Use various quilling techniques to create a bird of your choice – we’re going to make a bowerbird.

This activity is also perfect for extending on the book ‘Bowerbird Blues’ written and illustrated by Aura Parker, published by Scholastic Australia. ‘Bowerbird Blues’ will be read as part of the ALIA National Simultaneous Storytime 2024 event!
  • We’re going to start by changing the shape of our cardboard bird to look more like a bowerbird. You may wish to change your shape or leave as is.
  • Step 1Use scissors to cut the tail off the bird then glue it behind the body so it is facing downwards as shown. Adult supervision is recommended when using scissors. Allow to dry. Use a pencil to draw in any of the bird’s features or shadow lines you wish to highlight. You may also wish to trim off sections of the bird depending on the type of bird you would like to make.
  • Step 2Cut a strip of black and a strip of light purple quilling paper in half. Glue these halves to either end of a strip of purple quilling paper to create one long strip. Allow to dry. Starting with the black end, tightly wrap the strip around the pointy end of a skewer. Keep wrapping until you reach the other end. Use a small amount of tacky glue to secure the quilling paper as a coil. Remove the skewer and glue in place on the cardboard bird to create the eye. Allow to dry.
  • We are using a skewer rather than a quilling tool for this project to achieve small and tightly quilled shapes.
  • Step 3Take a dark yellow strip of paper and wrap it tightly around the skewer. Remove the skewer and allow the coil to unravel slightly and become a larger circle. Use a small amount of tacky glue to secure the end of the coil in place. Pinch the coil in your fingers and shape into a piece that will fit the top of the birds’ beak. Create the bottom of the beak in the same way with another strip of dark yellow paper. Once happy with the shapes, glue both in place and allow to dry.
  • Step 4Take a purple strip of paper and wrap it tightly around the skewer. Remove the skewer, this time placing it in a circle shape on the quilling board. Allow the paper to uncoil into the shape before gently removing from the board and using a small amount of tacky glue to secure the end of the coil in place. Pinch the coil in your fingers to flatten out. Make more of these shapes in the same way to create the shadow line under the birds’ belly. Once happy with the positioning of the pieces, glue in place and allow to dry.
  • Step 5Use the same process as step 4 to create quilled shapes for the wing shadow, however this time use an arch shape on the quilling board. Once happy with the design, glue the shapes in place and allow to dry.
  • Step 6Fill the remaining space on the bird shape with blue paper shapes. Use the quilling board to make any shapes you like and once happy with the design, glue it down in place and allow to dry.
  • Step 7Use a skewer to poke a hole in the cardboard bird shape, in the middle of the top edge. Cut a 30cm piece of ribbon, thread through the hole and tie the ends together to make a hanger.
  • Step 8Your Quilled Hanging Bird is now ready to display!

Materials used in this activity

Wooden Skewers - Pack of 100
Optional
Product Code: 10014
EACH $3.07 (inc GST) $2.79 (ex GST)
6 or more $1.97 (inc GST) $1.79 (ex GST)          
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Quilling Paper - Pack of 2,500
Optional
Product Code: 12905
EACH $15.39 (inc GST) $13.99 (ex GST)
4 or more $10.77 (inc GST) $9.79 (ex GST)          
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Cardboard Birds - White - Pack of 20
Optional
Product Code: 14417
EACH $10.99 (inc GST) $9.99 (ex GST)
5 or more $8.24 (inc GST) $7.49 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Product Code: 15518
EACH $3.84 (inc GST) $3.49 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
CleverPatch Tacky Glue - 250ml
Optional
Product Code: 16494
EACH $10.99 (inc GST) $9.99 (ex GST)
12 to 23 $9.89 (inc GST) $8.99 (ex GST) 24 or more $7.69 (inc GST) $6.99 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
HB Pencils - Pack of 20
Optional
Product Code: 16618
EACH $8.79 (inc GST) $7.99 (ex GST)
6 or more $6.59 (inc GST) $5.99 (ex GST)          
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Quilling Board - Each
Optional
Product Code: 19284
EACH $10.99 (inc GST) $9.99 (ex GST)
4 or more $6.59 (inc GST) $5.99 (ex GST)          
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Satin Ribbon - Pack of 16 Spools
Optional
Product Code: 19601
EACH $27.49 (inc GST) $24.99 (ex GST)
3 or more $19.24 (inc GST) $17.49 (ex GST)          
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