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Make Pine Cone Bird Feeders with the Kids This Spring

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May 7, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

Make this simple and easy pine cone bird feeder as a perfect spring activity to connect with nature and find some new friends.

After a very long winter, the sun is finally shining. We have been spending a lot of time outside and enjoying the warmer temperatures. On one of our recent nature walks, we discovered pine cones on the ground. After each student picked one, we decided to make Pine Cone Bird Feeders for all of the birds returning from the south.

Making pine cone bird feeders with kids

How To Make Pine Cone Bird Feeders:

 

These easy-to-make bird feeders are not only fun to make but they are inexpensive too.

Supplies:

  • Pine Cones
  • Peanut Butter
  • Small Bowls
  • Popsicle Stick
  • Paper Plate or Tray
  • Bird Seed
  • Twine or String
  • Scissors

You can usually find all of the supplies that you need at your local dollar store. If you live in an area where you can’t find pine cones on trees, you can order them from Amazon.

materials for Pine Cone Bird Feeders

 

To prepare for this activity, scoop some peanut butter from the jar and put it into the small bowls. I usually have one bowl for every two or three students to share.

Next, pour some bird seed into the small bowls. Then, give each student a paper plate or plastic tray. If you don’t have plates or trays, I recommend that you do this activity outside.

Before beginning this activity, you may also want to cut the twine or string into pieces that are about 8 inches long for each student.

Directions:

To begin making the pine cone bird feeders, your students will place their pine cone onto their paper plate or plastic tray and spread peanut butter on it. I have found that it is easiest for young children to spread the peanut butter with a popsicle stick.

Spreading peanut butter to make pine cone bird feeders

 

Next, the children will sprinkle the bird seed on the pine cone so it sticks to the peanut butter.

Adding bird seed to the pine cone bird feeders

 

Your students can then tie the twine or string around the top of the pine cone and hang them from a tree or hook.

Ready to string pine cone bird feeders

 

Making Pine Cone Bird Feeders is always one of our favorite activities during the school year. My students love to hang them outside our classroom window and watch all the different birds that come to visit.

 

Completed pine cone bird feeders

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Karen
Karen
Writer at ABCs of Literacy
Karen is a teacher with over 13 years of experience teaching preschool through 2nd grade and a mom to two sweet little boys.She has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and loves to share literacy activities on her blog, ABCs of Literacy, and play ideas, simple crafts, and much more on her blog, Raising Little Superheroes. Follow her on Pinterest and on Instagram .
Karen
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Filed Under: Nature, Spring Tagged With: birds

Comments

  1. Ashley Cunningham says

    May 14, 2018 at 12:13 am

    Too fun! We will definitely be trying this! <3

    Reply
  2. Wendy Solis says

    November 29, 2020 at 5:40 pm

    It works!

    Reply
    • Katie T. Christiansen says

      December 1, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      Hooray! I hope your birds love it :).

      Reply
  3. Tona says

    January 16, 2021 at 8:13 pm

    Wondering what I can use in place of the peanut butter that would be safe for birds, and my kids with nut allergies?

    Reply
    • Katie T. Christiansen says

      January 28, 2021 at 10:41 pm

      Hi Tona,
      Edited – Do not use honey. I thought I read a reputable resource that recommended that, but apparently it was wrong.

      Great question! Honey is a good alternative :).

      Warmly,
      Katie

      Reply
    • cathy says

      November 22, 2021 at 10:33 pm

      use sunflower butter or almond butter

      Reply
  4. Claire Smith says

    March 4, 2021 at 10:37 am

    I’m from the U.K. we use lard with seeds. Put it in the fridge overnight so it’s harder.

    Reply
  5. Jane Williams says

    November 7, 2021 at 9:55 am

    I am an avid birder.
    Firstly, you need to clearly note to only use unsalted peanut butter with nothing else in it.
    Second, roasted peanuts are recommended by ornithologists as raw peanuts can affect the birds pancreas..see Fish and Game.
    Third, honey is very bad for birds so please change your recommendation to commenter above.
    Birds are in great peril and feeding them is good, but please, it needs to be done properly.
    Thank you,
    Jane

    Reply

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I'm Katie, and I'm a veteran preschool teacher, child development research junkie, and mom of three who lives on little sleep and turns my kitchen into an art and science laboratory.

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