Christmas Bird FeederThis Christmas bird feeder a fast and easy project for children of all ages - even adults! The feeders are fun, functional, and should easily last the entire winter season. Every neighborhood has a host of wild birds that would enjoy an extra tid-bit or two during the winter. Kids and adults alike love watching wildlife up close. Thats where we come in! Christmas bird feeders are fun to make and even more fun to watch! They will teach your youngsters many lessons in a delightfully engaging way, and will help the birds survive the long winter months. The following is a super simple way for children (and adults) to make a Christmas bird feeder. In fact, its so easy, and accomplishes so many things, try making several! You can reduce the stuff going in the recycling bin, teach the kids about all the different wild birds in the neighborhood, have lots of fun making them together, and even more watching them, and help out the birds with a special Christmas gift all their own! Empty 2-liter or gallon plastic bottles - with screw tops String (must be strong) Scissors Stapler Hole punch Small sticks or dowel rods (long enough to stick out of both sides of the carton by at least 2 inches) Bird seed Decorations: Water-based acrylic paint and brushes, papier mache, yarn, string, etc Spray sealer
1. Wash and dry carton thoroughly inside and out. 2. Decorate your carton however you would like. Let dry thoroughy, then seal with the spray sealer. 3. Using your scissors cut a square or circle in each side of the carton (an inch or two should be good), about two inches from the bottom. 4. Using your hole punch (or your scissors) make a small hole about an inch below each larger one. 5. Push your sticks or rods through the holes from one side of the carton to the other (this will make one perch on each side, and a cross "X" inside). 6. Tie string around the lip under the bottle top by wrapping around twice, tying off and leaving 2 long ends. 7. Fill the container to within 1/2 inch of the perches with bird seed. 8. Hang your finished feeder on a tree branch by tying the ends around it. 9. Check and fill at least once a week by unscrewing the top and using a funnel to add the new seed. Decorating can take the form of painting, decoupage, papier mache, or even gluing yarn or string in designs on the outside of the bottle. Although these bird feeders will not last forever, they are a fun, inexpensive way for children to learn about birds and the importance of caring for our wildlife and our planet. Next year, simply toss the old Christmas bird feeders in the recycling bin, and enjoy another great afternoon of caring, learning and memory making while you create all new ones!
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