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.
Ce qu’il vous faut
- a pine cone or a cardboard tube
- lard or suet
- birdseed
- string
Comment faire
- 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.
Pourquoi c’est bon pour eux
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.
Adapter selon l’âge
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.
Sécurité
Wash hands thoroughly after handling lard and seed. Hang it where cats cannot reach.
Astuce rangement
Work over a plate and most of the seed is recoverable.
Dans le même esprit
50 min
Build a Bug Hotel
A stack of sticks, leaves and cardboard tubes for things to live in.
30 min
Warm Water Washing Station
A bowl of warm soapy water buys you a genuinely peaceful half hour.
25 min
Learn to Juggle
Start with one scarf. Most people never get past two, and that is fine.
30 min
Paint a Pebble
Find a smooth stone, paint it, leave it somewhere for a stranger.
35 min
Build a Lolly Stick Catapult
Seven lolly sticks, two elastic bands, and a pom-pom that goes further than expected.