Craft and Learn- Birds

Visions of baby birds in their nests are thought of when the season of Spring arrives. March and April are great months to explore birdwatching with your preschooler. Read books together about birds, keep a bird log of the feathered friends you spot, learn about birds and create a birdhouse craft.

Here are the birdhouse craft ideas:

Peanut Butter Pinecone
1.Tie a heavy string, or twine to the top of a large pinecone.
2.Cover the cone with peanut butter or suet (purchase at bird-feed
stores)
3.Press sunflower seeds or a birdseed mix into the peanut butter or suet.
4.Opt to press on and roll the pinecone into gourmet items, such as 1-cup cornmeal, 1-cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats, or 1 cup chopped dried fruit. Use dried fruit such as small, chopped pieces of apple, raisins, dates and plum.
5.Hang your delicacy from a tree branch. If possible, hang it from a spot where you can see it (like a tree branch or bush outside your window).

Milk Carton Bird Feeder
1.Get an empty milk carton and rinse it out, being sure it is clean and dry.
2.Cut a 2" - 3" diameter hole in each of the four sides of the carton, about 2" from the bottom. Then, poke two small holes at the top of the carton and thread a long piece of string or twine through them.
3.Fill the bottom of the carton with birdseed and hang it from a tree or shrub. To attract birds to the area scatter some seeds on the ground below the hanging bird feeder.

Bird Platter
1. Using an aluminum pie pan, punch several nail-sized holes in the bottom for drainage. As with many aspects of these crafts, adult supervision is required. 2.Place the tin on top of an old hanging plant container.
3.Hang from a tree limb or a pole or simply place the pan on top
of a fence or deck post. Voila! Instant bird buffet!

Here are some books to read to your child that will ignite their curiosity (and yours!) in birds:

Riki's Birdhouse by Monica Wellington
Birds, Nests and Eggs by Mel Boring
Everything Bird: What Kids Really Want to Know about Birds (Kids' Faqs) by Cherie Winner
Birds (Science Kids) by Nicola Davies
Backyard Bird Watching for Kids: How to Attract, Feed, and Provide Homes for Birds by George H. Harrison and Kit Harrison

There are also several other suggestions at Amazon, below, for super informative birding resources. Put on your learning wings!