Feeding Our Feathered Friends

Make a bird feeder with simple materials and have fun learning all about birds!
Activity Instructions
Building your feeder
Prepare your birdseed by pouring some on a plate and then set aside. To prepare to hang your bird feeder, take the toilet paper tube/pine cone and thread the string or pipe cleaner through a hole - this will allow you to hang your bird feeder when all done. Then with a dull knife or the back of a spoon, spread the nut butter around your toilet paper tube or pine cone. Now roll your tube or pine cone and roll it in the bird seed.
Placing your feeder
Hang it up outside on a tree branch or window sill you can see from inside your home.
Fun facts to share with your toddler while you make your bird feeder:
-Many kinds of different birds may come to the feeder
-Some of the most common birds in Chicago will be House Sparrows, House Finches, Starlings, and Cardinals - have printout next to window to differentiate the kinds of birds, have board books like from national geographic, can be reading about them, make binoculars
-We might be able to see Chickadees, Goldfinches, or even Woodpeckers. And maybe even more!
-When we hear a bird "tweet", that is known as a "song" or a "call", which is how birds talk to each other
-Some kinds of birds don't eat seeds, they like to eat worms, bugs, and fruit!
Supplies Needed
Toilet paper tubes or Pine cones
Bird seed (available at any hardware or garden store)
Nut butter
Paper plate
String, pipe cleaner, ribbon, fishing wire or twine
I Wonder...
I wonder statements are a great way to introduce concepts to children, stimulate their curiosity while modeling the pleasure of learning, and embrace ideas in a fun and unpressured way!
- I wonder what birds will come to visit?
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