Easy Eco-Friendly Bird Feeders to Make with Children

Attract more birds to your garden with these easy, eco-friendly homemade bird feeder ideas.

Whether you’re taking part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch this year or you’re simply keen to see a variety of birds in your garden. Making bird feeders is an easy, cheap, and so much fun activity that you can do at home with your little one.

Check out our DIY bird feeder ideas below.

Introduction to eco-friendly bird feeders

Eco-friendly bird feeders are a fantastic way to attract birds to your back garden while promoting sustainability and reducing waste. By crafting your own bird feeders using recycled materials, you can help cut down on the amount of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials that end up in landfills and oceans. Plus, making bird feeders is a fun and educational activity to enjoy with your children. In this article, we will explore the benefits of creating eco-friendly bird feeders with kids and provide some delightful and easy DIY projects to get you started.

Benefits of making eco-friendly bird feeders with children

Creating eco-friendly bird feeders with children is not only a fun and engaging activity but also an excellent educational opportunity. By using recycled materials and crafting their own bird feeders, children can learn about the impact of human actions on the environment and develop a sense of responsibility towards protecting wildlife. This hands-on activity also helps children develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, all while encouraging their creativity and imagination. It’s a wonderful way to teach them about sustainability and conservation in a practical and enjoyable manner.

Apple bird feeder

What you’ll need:

• An apple
• String
• Lard or unsalted peanut butter
• Bird seeds or food

One popular project is making pine cone feeders, which are not only effective in attracting birds but also provide a hands-on learning experience for children.

How to make:

All you’ll need to do is cut the apple in half, scoop out the core with a spoon and then fill the hole with a mixture of peanut butter or lard and bird seed. Then, you can attach some string to each side of the apple and hang up in a tree.

Orange peel bird feeder

What you’ll need:

• An orange
• Bird seeds or food
• String

How to make:

Simply cut an orange in half and scoop out the innards. Then fill up the orange halves with some bird food and poke some holes into the orange sides so that you can hang it up with some string.

Pinecone bird feeder

What you’ll need:

• A pinecone
• Bird seeds or food
• Lard or unsalted peanut butter
• A mixing bowl
• String
• Scissors

How to make:

To start, make sure that your lard or peanut butter is at room temperature so that it’s easier to mix and prepare your pine cones by removing any debris. Then, spread the lard or peanut butter onto the pinecone, either using a lollipop stick or using your hands. Next, sprinkle over the bird seed so that it sticks to the lard or peanut butter. Finally, add some string to the top of the pine cone and hang this up to a tree or a bush.

Recycled objects plastic bottle bird feeder

What you’ll need:

• Milk cartons, yoghurt pots or plastic drinks bottles
• Bird seeds or food
• String
• Scissors

How to make:

Whichever household item you choose for this activity (plastic bottle, milk carton or yogurt pot), all you and your little one will need to do is cut a hole in the side large enough for birds to access the food, but not so that the food falls out. Fill the item up with bird seed and add some string so that you can hang it up from a tree.

Top tip: Make sure to cut a few small holes in the bottom of your item to allow for rainwater to drain away.

Plastic bottle bird feeder

One of the simplest and most popular eco-friendly bird feeder projects is the plastic bottle bird feeder. To make this feeder, you will need:

• A clean and dry plastic bottle
• A pair of scissors
• A pencil or marker
• A piece of string or twine
• Birdseed

Instructions:

1. Cut a small hole in the side of the plastic bottle, just below the neck.
2. Cut a small piece of string or twine and tie it around the neck of the bottle, leaving a small loop at the top.
3. Fill the bottle with birdseed.
4. Hang the feeder in a tree using the loop at the top.

This feeder is incredibly easy to make and can be alternated with different types of birdseed and decorations. It’s also a fantastic way to reuse and recycle plastic bottles that would otherwise end up in landfills. Your feathered friends will love it!

Homemade suet for bird feeders

Suet is a high-energy food source that is perfect for attracting insect-eating birds to your garden. To make homemade suet for bird feeders, you will need:

• 1 cup of vegetable shortening or lard
• 1 cup of birdseed
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts or seeds
• 1/4 cup of dried fruit

Instructions:

1. Melt the shortening or lard in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Add the birdseed, chopped nuts or seeds, and dried fruit to the melted shortening.
3. Stir until the mixture is well combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a container or mould.
5. Let the mixture cool and harden before using it in your bird feeder.

This homemade suet recipe is easy to make and can be customised with different types of birdseed and ingredients. It’s a great way to attract hungry birds to the garden, especially during the colder months when food is scarce. Your visiting insect-eating birds will thank you!

Bird Related Activities in Our Nurseries

We incorporate a selection of engaging bird-related activities in our nurseries. This is a wonderful way for children to learn about different bird species and connect with wildlife. For example, the children at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool in Basingstoke recently celebrated ‘Feed the Birds Day’ and spent time mixing food on a bird table and setting up their own high quality bird feeders.

Alternatively, children at Kiddi Caru Day Nursery and Preschool in Caldecotte absolutely loved taking part in a Bird Spotting activity! This was a great opportunity for the children to spot garden birds and wild birds and get excited about creating their own feeding stations.

To wrap up

Once you have made one (or a couple) of the homemade bird feeders, you can now sit back and watch as more feathered friends make their way into your garden or park!

Encouraging your little one to take an interest in bird watching or caring for animals is a wonderful way to introduce them to wildlife and to teach them about the environment.

Whether this is through creating a bird feeder or simply taking the time to spot birds in your garden or local park, you can turn this into a simple learning activity. Such as, inviting your child to ask questions, listen to the different bird songs or by keeping a tally of how many birds they can spot.

Get involved

At our nurseries, we’ve developed a range of bespoke educational programmes that fit within the EYFS framework that are designed to be accessible, flexible and fun.

Our Sow & Grow Programme for example, engages children aged 2-5 years in a range of eco-friendly activities such as growing, nurturing, monitoring and measuring plants, fruits and vegetables.  This provides lots of opportunities to teach children at our nurseries not just about plants and lifecycles, but about the planet and how they can be environmentally aware.

You can download our birdwatching activity sheet here and you can check out some bird themed books from our monthly online children’s book club. We would love to see your creations, so tag us in your photos of your bird feeders on social media.

Are you looking for a nursery near you?

Looking for more reading? Check out our Blog!

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