How to Make Bird Feeders for Kindergarten

Wild birds enjoy bird seed at a bird feeder.

Kindergarten students are naturally inquisitive about the outdoors and benefit from hands-on learning activities. Making homemade bird feeders in your kindergarten classroom, or at home with your kindergarten-age child, is one way children can learn about wild birds and what they eat. It also provides children the opportunity to observe the birds. The easy-to-find supplies are simple for children to use while promoting their fine motor skills.

Things You'll Need

• Bagel
• 10-inch piece of yarn
• Vegetable shortening
• Plastic knife
• Wax paper
• Bird seed
• Popcorn

Instructions

1. 

   A bagel forms and edible base for the bird feeder.

   Demonstrate to the children how to loop a 10-inch piece of yarn through the bagel center. Help those who need assistance with tying a knot at the end of the yarn to form a loop.

2. Direct children to scoop out vegetable shortening with a plastic knife and spread a thick coat on both sides of the bagel.

3. 

   An all-purpose wild bird seed mix will attract a variety of birds.

   Place a piece of wax paper on the work surface. Pour bird seed onto each child's piece of wax paper. Instruct the children to press one side of the bagel at a time into the bird seed to cover the bagel. Add more bird seed to the wax paper, if needed.

4. Provide the children with popcorn to press into the sides of the bagel with their hands.

5. Hang the bagel bird feeders from tree branches that are in view of windows that are accessible to the children.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use sunflower seeds and dried berries to make your bird feeder.

• Supervise kindergarten children when using a plastic knife and warn them that the materials are just for the birds to eat.

• Many homemade bird feeder instructions direct you to use peanut butter but some children have severe peanut allergies and many schools prohibit the use or presence of peanut products. The vegetable shortening is a safe alternative.

References

• National Wildlife Federation: Make a Bagel Bird Feeder