25 min
Plant Something and Wait
One pot, a few seeds, and a reason to look out of the window every morning.
🐦
Make a Bird Feeder
A pine cone, some lard, and birdseed. Hang it up and wait.
Twenty minutes of messy work followed by weeks of looking out of the window.
What you need
- a pine cone or a cardboard tube
- lard or suet
- birdseed
- string
How to do it
- Tie a long piece of string firmly around the top of a pine cone.
- Press softened lard into all the gaps with your fingers.
- Roll it in birdseed on a plate until covered.
- Hang it from a branch you can see from a window.
- Check it each morning and note which birds come.
Why this is good for them
Making something for an animal that has no idea you exist is a clean, uncomplicated act of care. The waiting is also useful, because the birds take a few days to find it and children learn that not everything responds immediately.
Adapting by age
3 to 4 yearsUse a cardboard tube smeared with lard, which is easier than a pine cone.
9 to 12 yearsMake three feeders with different seed and record which attracts most.
Keep it safe
Wash hands thoroughly after handling lard and seed. Hang it where cats cannot reach.
Cleanup tip
Work over a plate and most of the seed is recoverable.
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