Tag: birdseed

Birdseed Indoor Sandbox

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Birdseed Sandbox ($)

I was looking for a good material for an indoor sandbox this morning, and remembered we had a bulk bag of birdseed. What perfect timing for the first day of spring! For a touch of spring whimsy, I added little speckled Easter eggs, a wind-up bird toy, child-sized gardening tools, and a “flower pot”.

Birdseed Sandbox (1)

Of course Veronika might not have picked up on these details, but she sure loved coming over to explore!

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First she tested out the birdseed with a lot of scooping and pouring, enjoying both the spade and the cup.

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The little bird had her momentarily intrigued.

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Then while big brother was doing his home school lessons nearby, this happened:

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But that’s okay! The birdseed sweeps up like a dream, and she was so delighted at her own antics.

Recycled Bird Feeders

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Recycled Bird Feeder (7).JPG

After our recent pine cone bird feeders didn’t get much nibbling from neighborhood birds, we wanted to give our feathered friends more of a perch to stand on while having a late autumn snack! This project from Barefoot Books is a great way to recycle juice or non-dairy milk cartons.

Adults, cut a rectangular opening in one side of a clean, empty carton, making sure it’s about 2 inches from the bottom of the carton.

Recycled Bird Feeder (1)

Now give your child carte blanche to decorate however they please. We wanted to make our carton bright and vibrant for the birds, so added colorful buttons and pom poms.

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And then Travis decided we needed glitter… lots of glitter!

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At this point we left the carton to dry overnight. The next day, poke two holes in the bottom of the carton. Select a stick from outside to be the perch; insert through the holes.

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Use a hole punch to make a hole in the top of the carton, and thread with string. My milk carton was so thick that I ended up hot gluing the string instead, which worked in a pinch.

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Now find a beautiful place to hang it, and fill with  birdseed!

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To continue the fun, consider purchasing a kid-friendly field guide to birds, and check off the visitors you receive over the winter.