Watching birds come down to eat is always fun. Even more so when you have made them a DIY feeder with your own hands. Bird feeders are pretty easy to make. Some take a little longer to do than others.
There are 3 different bird feeders that my kids and I have made. Simple to do.
Research What Birds Can Eat
Birds will pretty much eat anything you feed them but here are a few things that you should probably steer clear of when feeding them;
- Fruit pit & apple seeds
- Chocolate
- Potato chips
- Salt
- Cookies
- Raw meat
- Spoiled bird seed
- Honey
- Bread
Although in small quantities it won’t hurt them, bread does not actually have any nutritional value. Opting for healthy breads like whole grain is slightly better and even making a sandwich with peanut butter!
With these home made feeders the birds will be getting goodness & will come back for more.
Peanut Butter Roll Feeder
These are super easy and a favourite to make in our house. All you need is;
- Bird Seed
- Peanut butter
- Something to spread pb with
- Container
- Toilet roll tubes
- String/yarn
- Hole punch
- Scissors
Punch a hole into each end of one side of the tube. Then smear peanut butter all over the tube until completely covered.
Sprinkle or scoop some bird seed into a container. Roll out the pb covered tube into the seed mixture.
Cut off some yarn or string long enough to go right through the tube. The holes may be covered in seed but they will be there somewhere lol!
Hoop Cereal Feeders
These diy bird feeders are so easy and good for fine motor control with smaller children. All you need is;
- Hoop cereal (like these ones)
- Pipe cleaners
- String
- Scissors
Start by making a loop in one end of a pipe cleaner so the cereal doesn’t come off at the end. Kids can then thread their cereal onto the pipe cleaner.
Keep going until you almost get to the end. Leaving some room so that the pipe cleaner can be tied.
Tie some string to the pipe cleaner so that the feeder can hang. Like pictured.
Your DIY Bird Feeders are now ready to hang!
Gelatin Seed Molds
We have also made these cool feeders which take a little more prep but are a big hit with our little winged friends.
Mix a packet of gelatin into 1/4 cup of boiling water. Mix well until gelatin has completely dissolved.
Add 3/4 cup of bird seed into gelatin. It should start to bind.
Make sure to push mixture into all the corners. Once molds are done leave them for a few hours to set or pop them in the fridge until they harden.
Once the molds are set they should easily pop right out. Thread some string through the hole & tie a knot.
The best part of making your own feeders is watching those little furry friends come down and eat. It’s fascinating to see all the different types of birds!
Here are some great books about birds for kids of all ages.
And if you love birds we have a cute little bird craft your kids can do while they are waiting for those furry friends to come down. Click on the link below for our cute little bird craft 🙂
https://crafty-mummy.com/colourful-birds/
1
