STUCK AT HOME?
AT THE END OF IDEAS FOR NEW CRAFT PROJECTS?

No Worries! Kool 4 Kids to the rescue!

All the things you need to make this interactive craft can be found right in your home. What better way to enjoy the summer weather and wildlife than to attract birds with your homemade bird feeder?

First things first—grab a parent and head outside to find THE BEST pinecone. Short and fat or skinny and tall, pick whatever shape most pleases you. Brush off any dirt and find a flat surface to start building your one-of-a-kind bird feeder. Cut a length of string or lightweight wire and weave it through the first layer of scales, leaving a long enough tail that you can easily loop or tie the feeder over the branch of a small tree or bush.

Then, have a parent help you get a jar of peanut butter from your cupboard. Allergic to peanut butter? No worries! Use shortening instead. With a spoon or plastic knife, spread the peanut butter or shortening all over the cone until you can barely see those scales. Once the cone is covered, roll or sprinkle the birdseed onto the cone and press it in to make sure the seeds will not fall off when it is hung up. If you don’t have birdseed, you can use rolled oats, sunflower seeds, raisins, cracked corn, or crushed nuts. Here’s a helpful website for more food ideas and a lot of information about what’s good for birds and what to avoid. You’ll also learn which birds are attracted to which kinds of food and what sort of feeders they prefer: www.HumaneSociety.org/resources/feeding-your-backyard-birds

Now hang up your beautiful, nutritious pinecone feeders in a location where you’ll be able to see the action and wait for feathered, flying wildlife to come right to your yard. To make it even more interesting, have a pair of binoculars handy so you can get a close-up view of your new friends. Here’s a good website for learning which birds are commonly seen in Massachusetts: www.MassAudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/birds. See if you recognize the birds that come to your feeder, and share fun facts with your friends and family!