Connecting children to birds
On August 24, 2024, we hosted a “How to be a Birding Buddy” workshop in Bangalore with 21 participants. The event featured interactive activities like bird sketching, games, and group discussions, all aimed at enhancing nature education. Participants reported increased confidence in engaging children through bird-themed sessions after the workshop.
Ashwin Baindur is a nature educator from Pune and mentor and founder of The Painted Storks Nature Club for children. He helps children discover the ecological linkages in their surroundings and wants them to learn about the local biodiversity. He believes that children are active participants in this world and can make a difference.
Nobina Gupta is a nature educator and Curator-Director of Disappearing Dialogues (dD) in Kolkata. As a nature educator, she focuses on process, practice, and everyday life, and uses art as a catalyst to address critical ecological issues and drive change. She adopts a multifaceted approach and creativity to make learning more engaging and relevant.
Meet Mahesh Yamoji, a nature educator from Karnataka who works to create awareness about birds among high school students. He feels that it is most important to learn to love birds, as there is no conservation without love. He currently works at the Karnataka Folklore University in Gotagodi village, Shiggavi taluk, Haveri district, Karnataka.
The latest session in the Birding Buddies Online Series explored the connection between Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and artistic expression, emphasizing their roles in fostering a deeper connection with nature. The goal was to equip participants with creative tools to engage with the natural world by tapping into their emotions.
The Young Birders’ Workshop (YBW) is a 4-week online workshop for 10-13 year old kids, a unique opportunity for young birders to take the next step in their birding journey. The Young Birders’ Workshop (YBW) 2024 has just concluded, leaving behind a trail of fond memories and knowledge gained by enthusiastic participants.
Ovee Thorat is a nature educator who collaborates with school teachers in Kashmir on nature learning. She hopes that we will explore the nature socio-emotional learning (NSEL) aspects of nature learning. She aims to be more inclusive and context-based in her work. Ovee is currently a fellow with Nature Classrooms.
Early Bird recently collaborated with the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commission to foster linkages between children and nature through rural libraries. We trained 500 rural librarians in Karnataka to serve as bird educators who will provide children with the opportunity to learn all about birds through their libraries.
In celebration of Earth Day, we hosted exciting bird walks for children in eight Indian cities.
Mihir Pathak is an educator and writer from Vadodara, Gujarat. He has been using different experiential tools, such as theatre, inquiry-based projects, and nature-based activities, to facilitate learning journeys with children for many years. He believes that transformation happens through relationships—the relationship between a child and a teacher.