First, make binoculars from cardboard rollers and go on a winter walk to look for birds and to spark the children's interest in them.
Brainstorm what they would do if they were birds in the winter. Where would they get their food? Do they think the birds get hungry in the winter? Why? Who wants to help the birds by making them a bird feeder?
Note! It was definitely the "process" and not the "product" when I made bird feeders with my students. (In other words, it was messy!) We usually put their feeders in baggies and sent them home, but it'd also be interesting to hang them on your school playground or near a classroom window.
Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Materials: peanut butter, sand, craft sticks, birdseed, yarn
Directions: Tie a piece of yarn to the pine cone to use as a hanger.
Mix peanut butter with sand to keep the birds from choking and aid in digestion.
Spread the peanut butter mixture on the pine cone with a craft stick and then sprinkle with birdseed.
Adaptations: Spread peanut butter mixture on large pretzels or paper towel rolls.
Milk Carton Feeder
Note! It was definitely the "process" and not the "product" when I made bird feeders with my students. (In other words, it was messy!) We usually put their feeders in baggies and sent them home, but it'd also be interesting to hang them on your school playground or near a classroom window.
Pine Cone Bird Feeder
Materials: peanut butter, sand, craft sticks, birdseed, yarn
Directions: Tie a piece of yarn to the pine cone to use as a hanger.
Mix peanut butter with sand to keep the birds from choking and aid in digestion.
Spread the peanut butter mixture on the pine cone with a craft stick and then sprinkle with birdseed.
Adaptations: Spread peanut butter mixture on large pretzels or paper towel rolls.
Milk Carton Feeder
Materials: milk cartons, scissors, hole punch, string, birdseed
Directions: Rinse milk cartons and cut a hole as shown. Punch a hole at the top and tie on a piece of yarn or string for hanging. Fill with birdseed.
Bird bread
Materials: stale bread, egg white, birdseed, cookie cutters, straw, string, paint brush
Directions: Cut out shapes from the bread with cookie cutters.
Poke a hole with the straw and tie on a piece of string or yarn as a hanger.
Brush the egg white on the bread and then sprinkle on bird seed.
Dry.
Cereal Feeder
Materials: pipe cleaners, cereal with holes
Directions: Let the children string cereal on the pipe cleaners and then twist the ends to make a ring that you can hang on tree branches.
Brush the egg white on the bread and then sprinkle on bird seed.
Dry.
Cereal Feeder
Materials: pipe cleaners, cereal with holes
Directions: Let the children string cereal on the pipe cleaners and then twist the ends to make a ring that you can hang on tree branches.
Want to learn more about FEED THE BIRDS DAY on February 3rd?
https://gardenersnet.com/birds/feed-birds-day.htm
