A bird feeder is a gift that keeps on giving! This is a fun, and quick activity that will hopefully bring a little life to your garden and connect you more to nature. Bird feeders always invite so many things to discuss and keep discussing as your birds come to visit.
Lets start with what you need:
Bird Feeder Supplies:
This list contains affiliate links.
- Cardboard – shipping boxes or even cereal boxes
- Scissors or exacto knife
- Peanut Butter
- Bird Seed
- Ribbon or String
- Hole punch if you have one (if not you can use scissors or a knife)
- Spoon for Peanut Butter
- Plate for Bird Seed
- Plate or tray for your little one to construct on
- Apples! For snacking with the peanut butter!
Make It:
1. CUT out a shape in your cardboard (star, heart, diamond, rectangle, circle, square) or have your kids cut out their own shape if they’re old enough.
ASK: Why did you choose that shape? what does that shape mean to you? Where else can you see that shape in nature?
2. MEASURE and cut your ribbon or string, we cut ours about 2 feet long, then looped it so it ended up hanging about 1 foot down.
3. PUNCH a hole at the top of the cardboard and tie your ribbon or sting in a loop so you can hang it.
DISCUSS: How the peanut butter acts as a glue. What are some other materials that could act as glue?
4. SPREAD the peanut butter on both sides of the cardboard
PARENT TIP: This is a perfect time to introduce the apple slices for your kids to eat with the peanut butter, I found this to distract them nicely from eating the bird seed.
5. POUR the birdseed onto a plate and have your kids press 1 side of their peanut buttered shape onto the birdseed, turn it over and do the same to the other side. Sprinkle and press any missing spots with birdseed.
6. HANG your feeder! Particularly where there is a branch or something for the bird to stand on while they nibble on their feast.
7. BE PATIENT Now its waiting time. It took our birds a day or 2 to figure out the bird feeder, but when they did it was awesome! We had birds come every morning and peck away at the seeds. My little creatives loved running to press their noses against the glass window and watch the birds eat. I loved it too. It was a great opportunity for us to discuss the different types of birds, and to watch how they get their food and eat it. It was also so lovely to just watch the birds and see how they move and interact with each other.
Do Tell: Leave a comment below
- What are some other good bird feeder ‘recipes’?
- Where did your conversations take you?
Pingback: Learning About Birds - Preschool Activities Nook