Feeding the birds teaches little ones to take care of the animals during a difficult time. You can buy a bird feeder or make one yourself. Such a combination of pleasant and useful can be a great activity.
It is worth teaching children from an early age to care for the surrounding environment. In the winter, you can feed the birds together in a hand-made feeder. There are many creative ideas that you can try out at home using basic tools. Spending creative free time with your child will certainly strengthen family relations. We have prepared some interesting suggestions
Creative bird feeders – a list of ideas
There are many ways to create your own unique winter feeder for sparrows, tits and other birds. You can plan to do this as early as November, when it’s getting colder and the animals are finding it difficult to get food on their own. Making a bird feeder is also a great idea for spending autumn evenings together with your child. The creative activity will certainly deepen their bond with their caregiver, but you can just as easily use these ideas during school or day care activities
A feedermade from paper rolls – not many people know that toilet paper rolls are an excellent material that can help prepare a bird feeder for winter. To make one, all you need is a roll, string, scissors, peanut butter and a mixture of different bird seeds. Cover the toilet paper roll on the outside with thick peanut butter, then sprinkle the seeds and hang it on the tree. Due to the properties of paper, it is better to place such a feeder in a place where it is not damp and where there is less risk of getting wet with rain or snow.
Bottle feeder – who said that an empty plastic bottle is of no use? To make such a feeder you will need one large 5-litre bottle, one smaller one (e.g. 1.5 liters), scissors and insulating tape. Cut a hole in the large bottle to allow the birds to get inside freely. The smaller bottle will serve as a dispenser – just attach it properly inside the bigger one and you can add food from the top. It’s worth protecting the sharp edges of the bottles so the birds don’t get hurt.
Mesh fe eder – it often happens that garlic or other vegetables are packed with mesh with large meshes. You can easily turn them into a feeder – just tie the edges of the mesh with string and put your favorite bird treats inside. If they turn out to be too small, you can additionally glue them together with something greasy. At low temperatures, the self-made seed ball should not disintegrate. An alternative solution is to buy a ready-made seed ball and make your own mesh feeder.
A wire feeder is a very simple but effective construction. Arrange the wire in any shape you want and stick pieces of fruit or other treats for birds into the protruding ends. Children’s imagination knows no limits. That is why, you can make a heart or a Christmas motif together with your child.
What should I bear in mind when choosing a bird feeder?
Bird feeders can also be found in stores. In the winter period they appear even in popular markets. More and more often they tempt with their unique look and functionality. Remember to provide birds with easy access to food. Sparrows and tits can be skittish, so it’s a good idea to place the feeder a bit further from the window, balcony or garden exit. If you have a cat in the neighbourhood you should think carefully about the location of the feeder. Although birds are very quick and agile, the threatening presence of a cat alone will prevent them from visiting the feeder
