There is not much to do in the garden during wintertime, but you can turn it over to the birds and enjoy watching them all winter long. The best way to help attract our feathered friends is to hang some bird feeders scattered in the garden or on the balcony.
They don’t have to be those expensive wooden bird feeders you can buy in the store; you can easily build some with your kids in a few hours. Many fun craft projects take just a little time and very little money. Here are ten of our favorites!
1. Pine Cone Bird Feeder
This is a project you can do with even the smallest ones. You will need some pine cones, peanut butter, birdseed, yarn, ribbon, or string. Collecting the pinecones is an activity in itself; just keep an eye out for big pine cones on your next walk.
2. LEGO Bird Feeder
Everyone loves LEGO kids and adults as well. Building a bird feeder from LEGO is a fun project and perfect for the outdoors as it is durable and waterproof. You can go as colorful as you want and make your own design.
3. Gourd Bird Feeder
via www.kitchencounterchronicle.com
If you used gourd as a fall decoration, probably by now, they got dry and ready to repurpose them. If it’s still not completely dry, place the gourd near the heater, and when it feels light, and you can hear the seeds rattling around inside, the gourd is ready. Now you can simply cut it into half and drill holes for hanging it. To make it even more fun for kids, paint the gourd before filling it with birdseed.
4. Seedy Bagel Rings
Here is another very simple project that you can do with toddlers as well. You will need birdseed mix, whole wheat bakery bagels, peanut butter, and some jute. Simply spread a thick layer of peanut butter on the bagel and press it into the birdseed mix. Repeat it on the other side also, put a jute rope and hang it in your garden.
5. Soda Bottle Bird Feeder
via www.herecomesthesunblog.net
6. Juice Carton Bird Feeder
The kids will love this owl bird feeder. To make it, you will need large milk or juice carton, a few pencils, bottle caps, cupcake liners, a plastic container lid, some string, cardboard, and some paint if you want to give it a nice color. Hang it outside and watch the birds coming.
7. Cookie Cutter Bird Feeders
via eighteen25.com
These cookie-cutter bird feeders are not only fun to make, but they also look pretty on your balcony or in the garden. You will have to prepare some knox gelatin, let it cool down, and then stir in the birdseed. Lay your cookie cutters – or any other molds, mason jar lids – out on wax paper and fill with the birdseed mixture. Let them dry overnight, and the next day hang them in the garden.
8. Super Easy Bird Feeder
This is a very simple idea with only a few supplies that you probably already have at hand. Paint some paper cups, make holes for the strings and the wooden dowels with a hole punch, fill it with bird food, and you are done. Let the kids decorate them with stickers, washi tape, or drawings.
9. Popsicle Stick Feeder
Here is a fun afternoon project for the weekend. Get a big bag of popsicles (you will need about 50 sticks), glue them together and paint it with outdoor paint and glitter glue. When it is done, tie two long hemp cord pieces to hang it and fill it with a bag of birdseed.
10. Cheerios Bird Feeder
This is another really simple project that is suitable for even the youngest kids. Using leftover food scraps or pantry items, some pipe cleaners, and a piece of yarn or string, you can create this bird feeder with the kids in an hour. Hang the strings of Cheerios into the garden or on your balcony, and watch out for the birds coming to your house.
Thank you Sanjeev, for your comments. Send us pcreuits of the bird-feeder that you and your kids have made and we will include it on our Web site.