Make Speedy Bird Racers

Kathy Ross

Ready, set, fly! You'll soon see flocks of birds flying back from the southern states--another mark of spring's arrival. Let your kids participate in the spring migration by making colorful birds to race on a string. Place some gummy-candy worms in a bowl at the end of the line to reward the winning bird of each race. It's a great group activity and party game.

Our panel families found this craft easy and fun. "These took only a couple of minutes to make, and we started to play with them right away," said Peggy LaClair. Lynda Hannan, mother of two, said Jack (4) "was absolutely beside himself with the thrill of competition from flying these downhill to the finish. His favorite part of the construction was gluing on the feathers."

For each bird, you'll need a colorful plastic cup for the body. The cup's bottom will be the face of the bird. Glue on an orange paper beak and two wiggle eyes. Add craft feathers to the cup's sides for the wings. Glue some feathers to the cup's back for the tail. Glue the ends of the tail feathers inside the opening of the cup and curved downward so they won't interfere with the bird's flight.

Cut an 11/2 -inch piece from a plastic straw. Use packing tape to attach the straw to the center back of the bird.

To fly the birds, cut the string as long as you want the race to last. Tie one end of the string to the bottom of a chair leg. (Warning: Rough string such as twine or yarn might slow down the bird's speed. Use smooth, white string for the fastest flight.) Thread the other end through the front of the straw to the back of the bird. Instruct each player to hold up the bird and string as high as possible. When the signal is given, players should release the birds and wiggle the strings to propel the birds to the other end of the string.

Note: One person can make and fly two birds of different colors.

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