Materials
soil
cups
fast-growing seeds
permanent marker
journal or paper and stapler
pencils or pens
Unifix cubes or small cube-shaped blocks
date stamp and inkpad
Instructions
1. Cover the working area with newspaper.
2. Mix peanut butter or lard with a little vegetable oil to make it easier to
spread.
3. Tie a string onto each pinecone. Place the birdseed in a bowl.
4. Give each child a pinecone. Ask her to spread the peanut butter and oil
mixture all over the pinecone, and then place the pinecone in the bowl with
the birdseed. She can use a small spoon to scoop more seeds onto the sticky
parts of the pinecone.
5. Place each finished pinecone in a plastic bag with the string sticking out of
the bag. This lets children carry it home with minimal mess.
6. Encourage the children to hang their bird feeders outside a window at
home. The child can watch for the birds to come and eat. It may take a few
days for the birds to discover the feeder.
7. While this sounds like a messy activity, it is actually an easy cleanup just roll
up the mess left behind in the newspapers.
8. Some home a note to parents about the activity. For example:
Dear families,
We made bird feeders today to help the birds during the cold winter months. Please
carefully hang it on a branch outside so that the birds can find the seeds. If there is
a place where your child can watch from a window, it would be ideal. Thank you for
your help.
