by Lesson plan by Kidsgardening.org
Filling trees and shrubs with festive treats for the birds enlivens the winter landscape and supports our feathered friends. Berried garlands and seeded ornaments can last after the holidays, when the winter months are snowiest. Handmade outdoor ornaments also make great gifts for kids to make and give.
Cranberry Millet Spray Garlands
Overview: Strings of cranberries and millet sprays feed many different wild birds, from cedar waxwings to cardinals, and they add festive color to landscape trees and shrubs. They can even be twined around a birdfeeder post—just watch out for those squirrels!
Materials:
One 12 oz bag cranberries
10 millet sprays (available at pet stores)
5-6 feet of heavyweight thread
A blunt-point sewing needle (plastic or metal)
Red ribbon. (Birds can see and are attracted to red!)
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Location: Indoor
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Thread the needle with a long thread, knotted at the end, and string the cranberries for as long as you can string them, being sure to tie the end securely when you are done
Then taking 10-inch pieces of ribbon, tie the millet sprays to the cranberry strand every 6 inches or so.
Hang your garlands. They look very pretty on trees and birds of all kinds just love them!
Suet Cutouts
Overview: Many birds require fat for good health in winter and relish suet and fatted seed cakes. These seed cake cutouts are very pretty, but they can be a bit messy to prepare, so be sure to work with children directly and have some towels ready for clean-up.
Materials:
Mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Large holiday cookie cutters with open tops
20 oz suet (available at pet stores and in many garden centers)
1/2 cup songbird seed
Wax paper
Twine
Large paper clips
Cookie sheet
Cranberries and/or sunflower seeds
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Location: Indoor
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Mix the suet and birdseed in a mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.
Place wax paper on the cookie sheet and your cookie cutters on top of the paper.
Using the rubber spatula and your fingers, fill the cookie cutters with the soft suet/seed mix to the depth of about a ¾ of an inch. You can use the sunflower seeds and cranberries to make decorations on the shapes.
When you are done, lift the cutter away from the suet cutout then stick a bent paper clip into the top for a hook. Alternatively, you can make a hole in your shape using a straw or pencil.
Finally, freeze the ornaments until they are hard and ready to hang. Store them in a cool place before hanging.
Seed Encrusted Pinecones
Overview: White pine cones are the easiest to find and use for these cheerful, easy-to-make ornaments, but any pinecone will work. Kids love making these ornaments because they are so pretty and easy.
Materials:
Dried pinecones
1 cup peanut butter or sunflower butter
½ cup songbird seed (plus additional seed for sprinkling)
A mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Cookie sheet
Wax paper
Thin red ribbon
Location: Indoor
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Attach a 10” length of ribbon to the top of the pine cone (a hot glue gun works well for this).
In a mixing bowl add the peanut butter or sunflower butter and seed, and mix with the rubber spatula until combined.
Place the cones on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet, and using a spatula; liberally cover them with the seed mix.
Once the cones are covered, add an additional sprinkling of seed to their surfaces.
Freeze the ornaments until firm and ready to hang. Store them in a cool place before hanging.
Click to Download this Garden Activity
KidsGardening.org is a national nonprofit focused on creating opportunities for kids to learn though gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder by providing inspiration, community know-how and resources to parents and educators. Our website features a wide variety of lesson plans (https://www.kidsgardening.org/lesson-plans/), garden activities (https://www.kidsgardening.org/garden-activities/) and an extensive toolbox of gardening content(https://www.kidsgardening.org/gardening-toolbox/).
We also offer annual grant and award programs (https://www.kidsgardening.org/garden-grants/) and print publications (https://www.kidsgardening.org/kidsgardening-books-and-curricula/). You can visit our website at www.kidsgardening.org or contact us by email at info@kidsgardening.org.
Filling trees and shrubs with festive treats for the birds enlivens the winter landscape and supports our feathered friends. Berried garlands and seeded ornaments can last after the holidays, when the winter months are snowiest. Handmade outdoor ornaments also make great gifts for kids to make and give.
Cranberry Millet Spray Garlands
Overview: Strings of cranberries and millet sprays feed many different wild birds, from cedar waxwings to cardinals, and they add festive color to landscape trees and shrubs. They can even be twined around a birdfeeder post—just watch out for those squirrels!
Materials:
One 12 oz bag cranberries
10 millet sprays (available at pet stores)
5-6 feet of heavyweight thread
A blunt-point sewing needle (plastic or metal)
Red ribbon. (Birds can see and are attracted to red!)
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Location: Indoor
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Thread the needle with a long thread, knotted at the end, and string the cranberries for as long as you can string them, being sure to tie the end securely when you are done
Then taking 10-inch pieces of ribbon, tie the millet sprays to the cranberry strand every 6 inches or so.
Hang your garlands. They look very pretty on trees and birds of all kinds just love them!
Suet Cutouts
Overview: Many birds require fat for good health in winter and relish suet and fatted seed cakes. These seed cake cutouts are very pretty, but they can be a bit messy to prepare, so be sure to work with children directly and have some towels ready for clean-up.
Materials:
Mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Large holiday cookie cutters with open tops
20 oz suet (available at pet stores and in many garden centers)
1/2 cup songbird seed
Wax paper
Twine
Large paper clips
Cookie sheet
Cranberries and/or sunflower seeds
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Location: Indoor
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Mix the suet and birdseed in a mixing bowl using a rubber spatula.
Place wax paper on the cookie sheet and your cookie cutters on top of the paper.
Using the rubber spatula and your fingers, fill the cookie cutters with the soft suet/seed mix to the depth of about a ¾ of an inch. You can use the sunflower seeds and cranberries to make decorations on the shapes.
When you are done, lift the cutter away from the suet cutout then stick a bent paper clip into the top for a hook. Alternatively, you can make a hole in your shape using a straw or pencil.
Finally, freeze the ornaments until they are hard and ready to hang. Store them in a cool place before hanging.
Seed Encrusted Pinecones
Overview: White pine cones are the easiest to find and use for these cheerful, easy-to-make ornaments, but any pinecone will work. Kids love making these ornaments because they are so pretty and easy.
Materials:
Dried pinecones
1 cup peanut butter or sunflower butter
½ cup songbird seed (plus additional seed for sprinkling)
A mixing bowl
Rubber spatula
Cookie sheet
Wax paper
Thin red ribbon
Location: Indoor
Approximate Time to Complete: 30 minutes
Ages: All ages
Season: Winter
Instructions:
Attach a 10” length of ribbon to the top of the pine cone (a hot glue gun works well for this).
In a mixing bowl add the peanut butter or sunflower butter and seed, and mix with the rubber spatula until combined.
Place the cones on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet, and using a spatula; liberally cover them with the seed mix.
Once the cones are covered, add an additional sprinkling of seed to their surfaces.
Freeze the ornaments until firm and ready to hang. Store them in a cool place before hanging.
Click to Download this Garden Activity
KidsGardening.org is a national nonprofit focused on creating opportunities for kids to learn though gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder by providing inspiration, community know-how and resources to parents and educators. Our website features a wide variety of lesson plans (https://www.kidsgardening.org/lesson-plans/), garden activities (https://www.kidsgardening.org/garden-activities/) and an extensive toolbox of gardening content(https://www.kidsgardening.org/gardening-toolbox/).
We also offer annual grant and award programs (https://www.kidsgardening.org/garden-grants/) and print publications (https://www.kidsgardening.org/kidsgardening-books-and-curricula/). You can visit our website at www.kidsgardening.org or contact us by email at info@kidsgardening.org.
