The Clever Pigeon

On a hot summer day, a thirsty pigeon flew around looking for water. His throat was dry, and he was getting tired. Suddenly, he spotted a pitcher sitting in the shade! He flew down quickly and peered inside, but there was only a little bit of water at the bottom, far out of reach.

The pigeon didn’t give up. He looked around and got an idea. He started picking up small pebbles with his beak and dropped them into the pitcher, one by one. Slowly, the water level rose with each pebble. Finally, it was high enough for the pigeon to take a cool, refreshing drink.

His hard work and patience had paid off.

Moral:

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Additional Lessons:

• Bravery: The pigeon demonstrates bravery by trying to solve a difficult situation on his own and taking action despite the challenge.
• Wisdom: The pigeon uses clever thinking and creativity to find a solution to his problem, showing wisdom in his approach to overcoming the challenge.

Parenting Tip: Encourage your child to think creatively and stay determined when faced with challenges. Share examples of times when patience and clever ideas helped solve problems, just like the pigeon in the story.

Fun Questions for Curious Kids

• How do you think the pigeon felt when he found the water but couldn’t reach it?
• What clever idea would you try if you were in the pigeon’s place?
• Why do you think the water rose when the pigeon dropped the pebbles in the pitcher?
• Can you think of a time when you worked really hard to solve a problem?
• What other animals do you think are clever, like the pigeon?
• Why is it important to keep trying, even when something seems hard?
• How do you think the pigeon felt after finally getting his drink?
• If you were a bird, where would you go to find water on a hot day?

Activity Idea

Water-Level Experiment
Recreate the pigeon’s clever solution! Take a clear jar, fill it with a little water, and use pebbles or small objects to make the water rise. This fun experiment shows kids how displacement works while tying it back to the story.

Did You Know? Fun Bird Facts

1. Pigeons are incredibly smart and can remember places and faces for years!
2. These birds are natural problem solvers and have been trained to carry messages over long distances.
3. Pigeons can drink water by sucking it up, unlike most birds, which need to tilt their heads back.
4. The idea in this story illustrates the principle of displacement, a concept discovered by the ancient scientist Archimedes!
5. Pigeons have been around humans for thousands of years and were even used by ancient civilizations for communication.
6. A group of pigeons is called a “flight” or a “kit.”
7. Pigeons can see colors we can’t—like ultraviolet light!
8. Pebble-dropping isn’t unique to pigeons; some crows and parrots use tools to solve problems too.
9. Wild pigeons, or rock doves, often live on cliffs and tall buildings, mimicking their natural habitats.
10. Pigeons are one of the fastest birds, capable of flying up to 77.6 mph!

Download Free Coloring Pages Related To This Story

Bring the story to life with coloring pages designed to spark creativity and make story time even more fun. Coloring helps kids express their creativity, improve focus, and reinforce the story’s themes in a fun, engaging way. After reading together, let them bring the story to life with colors!

Click on any of the free coloring pages below to download or print it!