Build a Nest STEM Challenge for Kids

Can you build a nest? This build a bird nest challenge for kids gets kids thinking creatively and applying imagination to science! Perfect for any age!

This week as part of the Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids, we are reading Owl Babies. The illustrations in this book are beautiful. In reading the page that discussed the owl babies’ home, it was made of ‘twigs and leaves and owl feathers’.

My kids immediately started asking how birds could build a nest. This bird nest engineering challenge made for the perfect activity for us to do in conjunction with this book!

Build a Nest STEM Challenge for Owl Babies

Pretending we were little owls we went out on a nature walk, and collected items that we thought a bird might like to use to build a nest. Twigs, feathers, leaves, dried grass, pine needles and evergreen branches all came home with us.

We used a round piece of tree trunk to as a base for our nest, just to give it a bit of stability.

The kids started with the dried grass and twigs to make a circular shape. Weaving in some feathers and leaves they made a comfortable, padded space for the birds and their eggs.

We really learned quite a lot about the intricacies of how to build a nest! Additionally, we are quite amazed at what these creatures are capable of, it was not the easiest of tasks, making is quite the bird nest challenge!

This STEM activity discusses where different birds live, which items of the nest are heavier or lighter, and teach quite a bit about making a sound structure! There was also a lot of fine motor practice going on for those little fingers.

You can build your own bird’s nest for the Owl Babies in the book entirely out of items that you find on your walk. Or, you can purchase some of them like the feathers or fake moss for your build a bird nest activity.


Glue the items together to build a nest that will last. We chose to do this challenge over and over, taking the nests apart and trying new ways to make them. The kids wanted to find a nice place nestled inside of a tree to keep the nest, just in case any baby owls needed a new home 🙂

See More Owl-Themed Activities from the VBC:

• Letter – Roll & Color – Owl Themed Sea of Knowledge
• Owl Babies Activities – Mosswood Connections
• Whooo are you? Writing Activity -CraftCreateCalm
• Owl Babies Counting Activity – Clare’s Little Tots
• Owl’s Day Ordering Activity – My Storytime Corner
• Owl Counting Playdough Mats – Preschool Powol Packets
• Owl Babies Sponge Painting – Adventures of Adam
• Owl Eyesight STEM Exploration for Kids
• Feathery Owls Color Matching Activity – To be a Kid Again
• Help the owls find their nests – Mama Smiles
• Pre-writing Craft for Kids: Scratch Art Owl- School Time Snippets
• Movement Tricks to Help with Separation Anxiety in Preschool
• Owl Puppets – Powerful Mothering
• Owl Babies Shape Activity for Preschoolers – Rainy Day Mum