Here are a few easy ways that even a toddler can help make bird feeders! It’s never too early to teach compassion for feathered friends.

I set out a tray with all of our materials: o cereal, sunflower seeds (make sure to buy them unroasted and unsalted), pine cones, a toilet paper tube, pipe cleaners, and yarn.

For the first version, show your toddler how to thread the o cereal onto either yarn or a pipe cleaner. The pipe cleaner turned out to be much sturdier for Veronika’s little fingers.

Not to mention the o cereal turned out to be more fun as a snack than for threading, which was just fine!

To complete this bird feeder, simply loop the pipe cleaner or yarn at the ends, and it’s ready to hang.

For the next version, I gave Veronika a plastic spoon to spread peanut butter over the toilet paper tube. Punch two holes near the top to thread a pipe cleaner handle, then roll in the sunflower seeds. (Note: You can also use commercial bird seed, but I liked that sunflower seeds kept the project completely edible for Veronika… just in case!).

We used a similar method for the third version, except using pine cones. Smear with peanut butter, and then roll in sunflower seeds.

Make sure to use a pine cone with a stem long enough to knot a length of yarn on. Knot the other end of the yarn to a tree branch.

We had so much fun popping outside to hang these in the branches, in early morning sunshine!

Sure enough, we had visitors very soon, although one of the pine cones was soon stolen by an adorable and hungry brown squirrel!