Monday, January 4, 2010

Winter Eco-friendly Craft to do with your Kids

Today on WUSA 9 our Events Coordinator, Anna Snead demonstrated a craft for creating a homemade birdfeeder. It’s a great way to teach your kids the importance of being eco-friendly. This particular craft is very beneficial to birds during the winter months and it involves recycled goods.

Anna selected this activity because it’s earth-friendly, creative, and fun. Below are two variations of the craft suited for different age groups. Let us know if you try it and what you think.


Activity: BIRD FEEDER HOUSE

Empty quart sized cardboard milk carton, wash out and dry well
Scissors
String or cord
Hole punch or pencil
Bird seed
Directions
1. Cut a circle-shape hole in the bird feeder, large enough so that a bird can sit and eat food.
2. Use the hole punch to put a hole at the top of the milk carton. Tie a few feet of string through the hole.
3. Fill bottom of carton with bird seed until it reaches the opening.
4. Hang the carton on a high tree branch.
5. Refill as necessary.

One easier variation for younger children only requires four items: a pinecone, peanut butter, birdseed and a string.

BIRD FEEDER PINECONE
pinecone
peanut butter
birdseed
string.

Take your pinecone and smear peanut butter all over it. Then roll your pinecone in birdseed. And last but not least, tie a string around your pinecone and hang it in your backyard. Make sure to keep some binoculars near your backyard window so your kids can keep a lookout for all the different birds.

Have you taught your kids about being eco-friendly? If so what activities or lessons have you shared with them?

Happy Parenting,

Brenda

1 comment:

  1. Winter Lights

    Pie tin, "found" items (pine cones, small sticks, pine needles, even small pebbles), string, add water and FREEZE!

    Place found items in pie tin, fill pie tin with water, and float in a 12" to 24" looped string.

    Leave filled pie tin outside in freezing temperatures, once frozen, remove ice disk from tin and tie string to tree branch to catch the Winter light.

    We have several hanging in our School's playground and these lovely ice disks change over the course of the day and weeks. Fleeting yet lovely.

    ReplyDelete