Kid-made DIY bird feeders

These easy DIY bird feeders for kids are a great trash-to-treasure craft for kids who want to help out their feathered friends. One of my favorite things about where I live is that there are no houses behind me. We back onto a wilderness area, and because of that, we sometimes catch glimpses of really cool wildlife, like a goose defending its nest against a hungry fox, or a whole herd of deer running by. Love. it.

With winter in full force, we don’t see a lot of animals these days, but we do still have some cute little robins who visit our yard from time to time.

The other day, Little Man was asking what the birds eat when it’s all snowy and cold. I told him that birds eat berries and seeds, but he was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to find them under the snow, so I asked him if he’d like to make some bird feeders to hang in the backyard.

As is my habit, I searched Pinterest, and after looking at several ideas, I modified the simplest one I could find from Go Grow Go to use things I already had on hand.

This was a great activity. It didn’t take long, wasn’t overly messy, and both boys were engaged, although my one-year-old spent most of the time eating the peanut butter that he was supposed to be spreading on the toilet paper roll. Whatever makes you happy, buddy.

Want to make your own bird feeders? Here’s what you need:

Materials:

• wild bird seed
• peanut butter
• toilet paper rolls
• string or yarn for hanging

Instructions:

1. Spread peanut butter on the outside of the toilet paper roll. Make sure you cover it well.
2. Pour some bird seed in a shallow dish. Shake gently so it spreads out.
3. Roll the peanut butter covered toilet paper roll in in the seed. Keep rolling and pressing gently until it’s well coated.
4. Cut 18 inches or so of string. Put it through the hole in the toilet paper roll and knot the ends together.
5. Find a branch, hang your feeder, and wait for the birds to come!

Little man was so excited, he had to get his binoculars and watch for the birds through the window.

Note: Keep in mind that it often takes awhile for birds to find the feeders and munch on them. Ours sat looking pretty lonely for several days, but the birds did eventually show up and we really enjoyed watching the birds from our kitchen window pecking at our little gift.

Oh, and one more tip…If you are worried about the bird seed creating weeds in your yard, just microwave it in a paper bag for 5 minutes before using it, and it won’t sprout! I love simple solutions.

Want more STEAM activities for kids? Try these!

• The Best Nest: A Literacy and STEM Preschool Lesson
• Why every child needs an inventor box + how to create one
• How to make a human sundial + more fun shadow activities
• How to beat the heat: 9 ice play activities for kids