This Recycled Materials Bird Feeder is a perfect family craft to make for Earth Day, spring break, Vacation Bible School, or a summer day camp.

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This Recycled Materials Bird Feeder, made from trash, is a perfect family craft to make for Earth Day, spring break, Vacation Bible School, or a summer day camp. The craft is easy enough to involve a preschooler, but can creatively engage teens and youth as well.

My little man and I have been working hard to build his vocabulary and understanding of letters. But, each morning we try to spend a little time together to work on “projects”. It has become kinda a joke around our house that Little Man will pull up to the counter at any random time of the day and say “mama I want to do a project.” I’m trying to keep color pages, worksheets, and letter tracing papers handy.

When it snowed back in February, we became obsessed with watching the birds. I had been noticinging some bird chatter between a few of my friends on Instagram at the beginning of February and I started talking about wanting a bird feeder. And, cupid, showed up with a couple bird feeders and bags of seed, just in time for the birds in our neighborhood to fatten up for the frozen week.

Watching birds really is such a calming activity and paying close attention to the variety of visitors is a highlight of our day. So, I was cleaning up around and found some materials that would make a fun handmade bird feeder and give us more opportunity to watch birds from different rooms in our home.

Bird watching helps Toddlers and Preschoolers developmentally.

Focus and attention skills
Hand-eye coordination with making the activity
Learning pattern and order for project steps
Caring and concern for others
Identifying colors
Learning about compare and contrast
Understanding interaction
Determining cause and effect

When we hung these recycled material bird feeders outside, I made sure to hang them in places where Little Man could watch them from the lower parts of the windows and see birds. I will warn you, the squirrels in our yard have kinda taken over these feeders, at least in the morning but all afternoon, we see colorful birds swooping in and out from the different feeders around the yard. So, it might be worth pulling the feeders in the evening and waiting until later in the morning to put them back out.

Recycled Materials Bird Feeder

This Recycled Materials Bird Feeder, made from items you are throwing away or already have around your home, is a perfect family craft to make for Earth Day, spring break, Vacation Bible School, or a summer day camp.

Materials

1 large tomato sauce can
Can Punch/Bottle Opener
Craft paint/spray paint
Paintbrush
1 pie plate
Water-resistant project glue
Pipe cleaner
Birdseed

Instructions

Use a large can like crushed tomatoes or enchilada sauce. A regular vegetable can could work as well, it just holds a smaller amount of seeds.
Open the top rim completely, leaving the bottom metal ring attached to the can.
Adult step: Using the pointy end of a Can Punch/Bottle Opener, make punches around the bottom edge of the can, leaving at least ½ inch between to not bend the can.
Adult Step: Make 4 punches around the top, opposite each other. Curl the can back but not bending it though completely.
Paint the cans using regular, colorful, craft paint or outdoor spray paint. We used a standard foam brush, but a bristle brush could work as well.
Allow the paint to fully dry before completing any other steps.
Using a thick, water-resistant project glue, put glue around the bottom rim and across the bottom of the can.
Press firmly in the center of the pie plate. Add a rock to the inside of the can or a weighted book if needed to add pressure until the glue dries.
Allow the glue to dry overnight.
Attach a pipe cleaner through one of the punches on the top of the can.
Take the bird feeders and a bag of birdseed to the place where you plan to hang the feeder.
If there is a hook or an easy branch to hang, attach the other end of the pipe cleaner and feed the feeder in the hanging spot. If not, take the bird feeder to the location to hang it and feed the pipe cleaner over the branch or hanging spot.
Secure the pipe cleaner to the cut notch opposite where the first side is attached.
Fill the feeder with birdseed.
Watch from a distance as word gets out that you have a new place for birds to gather.
Watch for squirrels and refill the feeder as it empties.

Notes

NOTE:
The purpose of this activity is to use recycled materials and craft supplies you already have at home. Using things we would normally throw away to accomplish another project is a great way to reduce consumption and take care of the environment.

For other Earth Day ideas, check out some of these posts: