Winter story for toddlers: the little bird in the snow

3 min read · For: Ages 3–5

When Amara woke up, the world had gone white.

Snow on the yard. Snow on the fence. Snow on the bench, like a thick, soft cushion.

Amara pressed her nose against the window. Her breath made a little cloud on the glass.

And then she saw it.

On the fence sat a small bird. A round little bird, with a bright red chest, all fluffed up like a ball.

"Mommy!" called Amara. "There's a bird outside! With a red tummy!"

Is the bird hungry?

Mommy came to look. "It's a cardinal," she said. "Look how fluffed up he is. He's keeping warm."

The bird hopped down onto the snow. He pecked. Peck, peck. But there was nothing to eat. Everything was covered in snow.

"Oh no," said Amara. "He's hungry. And the snow is hiding all his food."

Amara thought. And thought.

"I know!" she said. "We can make him a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree with food on it!"

A tree for the birds

In the yard there was a little fir tree, growing in a big pot by the door.

Amara and Mommy went to the kitchen. They threaded hoops of apple onto pieces of string. They pressed seeds into half an orange. They spread a little peanut butter on pine cones and rolled them in birdseed.

Amara put on her coat and her boots. Mommy put on her coat and her boots.

Crunch, crunch, crunch, through the snow.

Amara hung the apple hoops on the branches. She hung the seedy pine cones. Mommy put the orange on the top, like a star.

"There," said Amara. "A Christmas tree for the birds."

Waiting

They went back inside. Amara sat by the window. She waited very, very quietly.

Nothing happened.

She waited some more.

Then... flutter, flutter.

The red bird landed on the fir tree. He looked at the apple. He looked at the pine cone. And then he pecked. Peck, peck, peck.

"He likes it!" whispered Amara.

Then another bird came. A little blue one with a yellow tummy. And then two small brown ones. And then a blackbird, who sat on the very top branch and sang.

Thank you

All morning, the birds came and went. Pecking and hopping and fluttering.

When it was time for lunch, the red bird flew up onto the fence again. He looked at the window. Right at Amara.

He puffed out his red chest. And he sang a little song.

"Mommy," said Amara, "I think he's saying thank you."

"I think so too," said Mommy.

Things to do together

What color was the bird's chest?
What did Amara and Mommy put on the birds' Christmas tree?
Look out of your window. Can you see any birds?
Ask a grown-up to help you make a treat for the birds in winter. Leave out a little dish of water too.