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Pine Cone Bird Feeders

These are easy to make and the birds love them!

You will need:

• pine cones--long ones work best, but any kind will do
• peanut butter--the cheapest sugarless kind you can find--many natural food stores allow you to buy it in bulk, so you can buy as much or as little as you want. Figure that you will be able to make approximately 10 pine cone bird feeders per pound of peanut butter.
• popsicle or craft sticks or tongue depressors
• bird seed--the least expensive kind you can find
• cookie sheet or a pie plate to hold the seed
• heavy string, twine or yam
• wax paper or wax paper bags

What to do:

1. Apply the peanut butter to the pine cones with the craft sticks, pressing it into all the nooks and crannies. Expect that fingers will be licked and some peanut butter will be eaten. Just remind the children that this snack is really for the birds!
2. Roll the peanut butter-covered pine cones in the pan of bird seed. The bird seed will stick to the peanut butter. Gently shake off the excess.
3. Tie the string or yam tightly around the base or top of each pine cone.
4. Perhaps the children could make two--one for school and one for home. This way you will have a supply to use at school and the children will be able to see how they attract the birds. Then the children will bring them home enthusiastically!
5. Send them home in wax paper or a wax paper sandwich bags. They are a lot less sticky than plastic (besides being more environmentally friendly).