Chickens are prized for more than just their juicy and succulent meat; they can also be an excellent resource for your kids to learn more about nature and farmyard responsibilities.
When children interact with live, breathing chickens, they can gain an appreciation for these wonderful animals.
That being said, this sense of respect and appreciation won’t be attained with mere exposure to the chickens. Parents and teachers will have to facilitate the right learning modes to set the children up for success in terms of gaining knowledge about chickens and related life skills.
If you want to make chicken-keeping more engaging for your kids, utilising educational games can be a great way to educate your kids and get the knowledge to stick in their heads. With games, kids will be more likely to pay attention to the chickens and develop this sense of respect.
So without further ado, here are some fun and useful educational games involving chickens that you can try at home or in the classroom. Let’s jump right into it!
Egg Collection Game
One game you can consider for little kids is a simple game of egg collection. This game involves finding eggs in the yard or coop and keeping track of them through a notebook, whiteboard, or some other tracking device.
All hens lay eggs under the right conditions. Some breeds lay more than others, especially if they’re being housed in quality coops bought from reputable stores like Somerzby. The colour and characteristics of the egg tend to differ slightly from breed to breed, and this is something you can educate your child on as well.
If you own a chicken at home, then your kid can get started with this fun little game, no matter they’re age. And if you own multiple chicken breeds, you can consider spiking the difficulty by getting your kid to sort and count the eggs laid by different chicken breeds.
This can be a fun way for kids to learn how to do basic arithmetic, as it has both practical value and a playful, treasure-hunt element that keeps them engaged. By getting children to collect eggs, you can turn something routine into a productive learning moment where they can simultaneously sharpen their basic math skills.
Chicken Observation Bingo
A fun and competitive way to learn about chicken behaviour and have fun while doing so is making a chicken observation bingo card. The premise is simple: players have to watch the flock and note any behaviour that appears on their bingo sheet.
To create a bingo sheet, simply put in behaviours that you think your flock would do. For instance, you can add a square for one particular hen of yours, say her name is Daisy, and have your child watch for “Daisy scratching the ground” or “Daisy sitting in the nesting box.”
Just like regular bingo, if the action is observed, then mark it as such.
You can mix in general actions too, like one of the members of the flock dust-bathing, a rooster crowing, or a hen finding a bug. The difficulty level is up to you. Once a line has been created, the player can claim “Bingo” and be declared the winner for that round.
In any case, playing this game can be a great way to get your kid to observe the flock’s behaviour actively. This familiarity can make them more attuned to the animal and their needs. It can also spark their curiosity about the animal and make them want to learn more about these creatures.
Chicken Anatomy Match Game
Another fun way to improve your kid’s familiarity with chickens is by letting them play a matching game.
You can make this deck of cards at home. Simply make two decks: one with the names of the different chicken parts, and another deck with drawings of these parts. Scramble them up and turn them face down. Then, have your kid match the right pair with one another.
For example, if they have flipped the word chicken beak, let them try to find the corresponding picture of said chicken beak. Then, once they’ve successfully matched a picture and a word, remove it from the play area. You can also use this time to describe what this specific chicken body part does and how the chicken uses it—alongside other fun facts.
By constructing this match game, you can get your child to test their cognitive memory and learn more about the different body parts of the chicken in the process. This can be fun, interactive, and educational all in one.
And if you intend to let your kid tend the chicken when they’re older, this game can be a great way to introduce the anatomy of the chicken to them steadily and patiently.
Craft a Coop Design Challenge
Another fun way to get your kids to become better chicken handlers is to make them play a build-a-coop design competition with one another.
This activity, in essence, hones your kid’s craftiness, as it encourages them to sketch or build what they think an ideal chicken coop should look like. They can use paper and crayons, craft sticks, cardboard, and other craft items to create the design that they envision.
You can play a role in the process as well and give out tips on what coops should fundamentally include.
For instance, you can instruct the child to craft nesting boxes, chicken runs, or ventilation systems as part of the design challenge. You can also use this as an opportunity to teach them the purpose of these coop components so that they’ll know how it differs from other traditional structures.
By walking them through the basics, you can harness their creativity while helping them know the practical aspects of the coop. This, in turn, can make it easier for them to absorb real-world knowledge once it’s their turn to do chores involving chicken rearing and coop cleaning.
Chicken Cook-Off
Of course, not everyone’s going to have a live chicken at home. If you make up this statistic, don’t fret, you can still instil some chicken-related fun by hosting a cooking competition with your kids.
Have yourself partner up with one of your kids and test your skills in the kitchen using chicken as a primary ingredient. This game doesn’t involve live chickens, so if you don’t have one of those around, this is a great way to prepare a fun yet practical way to create a delicious chicken dish.
There are infinite possibilities when it comes to preparing and cooking a chicken dish. You could go the classic route and make a good fried chicken dish. Or you can create something more master-class, like an exotic chicken recipe involving spices and unique cooking methods.
By the end of the cook-off, you can taste your culinary creations as a family and declare a winner.
This activity is not only a great bonding moment for the entire family, but it can also hone your child’s culinary skills. It is also a great way to get your kid familiar with the parts of the chicken and how to cook these parts, which can be a practical benefit as they grow older and more independent.
In any case, we hope that these games will give you inspiration on what you can do next when teaching your child about the cool world of chickens. All the best!