Craft Ideas for the Birds

Making crafts with your children can be a lot of fun.  They involve a lot of creativity and patience.  Crafts can be given away as gifts or as decorations around the home.  No matter what they are used for, they are definitely a way to have fun with your kids.

By using items from nature, children have the opportunity to explore and find things that are part of the great outdoors.  It is cool to see what you can make out of sticks, rocks, leaves or seashells.  Crafts that are made from nature can result in either very simple creations or very elaborate works of art.

What are some of the things that can be made from nature’s materials?  The following list will provide some suggestions for crafty and natural creations.  There are many ways how you can make a birdhouse.

Cheerios bird feeder

The birds will love this.  Here are the items that you will need:

•    Pencil
•    Sugar ice cream cone
•    Pipe cleaner
•    Table knife
•    Creamy peanut butter
•    Cheerios
•    Birdseed

Poke a hole in the pointed end of the ice cream cone with the pencil.  Twist a knot in the end of the pipe cleaner and thread it into the ice cream cone and out the hole.  Using the knife, spread the peanut butter onto the exterior of the cone.  Press the Cheerios onto the peanut butter until the cone is completely covered.  Next, sprinkle birdseed onto the cone, using your fingers to press it.  The birds will be in for a delicious treat.

Milk carton birdhouse

Here is another craft to keep birds happy.  The materials needed for this activity are:

•    Milk carton
•    Stapler and staples
•   Masking tape
•    A soft cloth or rag
•    Brown acrylic paint
•    Scissors
•    Twine

Make sure that the milk carton is cleaned out completely and thoroughly.  Staple the top of it shut.  Tear off small pieces of the masking tape and stick them all over the milk carton.  With the cloth, wipe some brown acrylic tape evenly onto the milk carton.  With the help of an adult, cut about a 4” hole above the bottom of the carton.  It should about 1”-1 ½” in diameter.  This is the bird’s entrance and exit.
Poke a few small holes into the top and bottom of the milk carton for drainage and ventilation.  The last step is to string a piece of twine through another hole in order for you to hang it on a tree.

Bird binoculars

Children will get a kick out of this activity.  The materials needed are:

•    2 paper rolls, about 4”- 5” long
•    Single hole punch
•    Glue
•    Yarn or string

Ask your child to glue the two paper rolls together.  Then poke holes in each side of the binoculars.  Next, put the yarn or string through the holes and tie the ends together.  Your child is now ready to go bird watching outside.  This is a fun and easy activity for nature!