I always try to plan simple, seasonal activities to do with my kids throughout the year. I use this as a time to connect, talk about the meaning of the season*, and share any wisdom the current season has to impart.
(*See below for conversation topics you can have with your kids about the meaning of late spring.)
I’ve been enjoying hearing the birds singing out my bedroom window every morning, so I wanted to find a sweet, simple bird feeder craft for us to do.
This was our inspiration. (Photo on left.)
I like this design because it seems like you can round up most of these materials (or something like them) around your house. We used the photo as inspiration and improvised on the execution.
Because … my number one philosophy in doing any crafts or seasonal celebrations with kids is to make them as simple as possible. If I have a long list of special supplies I need from the craft store, it’s a really high possibility that I’ll never get to the store & never do the fun project with my kids.
So, we do a lot of improvising. But you know what … kids love that part! They love to problem solve & look for fixes. So keep it simple, use whatever you can find around the house.
DIY Bird Feeder Instructions
1) Gather your cans (or any creative substitute).
I didn’t have any cans in the recycling and wasn’t planning on having any for the next several days so I ran to Lowe’s for a cheap, acceptable substitute. I came out with these tiny terra cotta pots. They were about 75¢ each
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2) Paint your can (pot, etc.)
The kids (mostly) had fun painting their pots. We have a joke in our house that an activity, adventure, etc., is great only 25% of time. That is to say, only 25% of the time is everyone happily engaged in whatever we’re doing. The other 75% of the time people are bikering or upset about something. BUT, if it’s good just 25% of the time it’s a TOTAL success! (Because … #LifeWithKids.)
We just used whatever paints the kids had around the house. Nothing special.
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3) Find a dowel-like stick.
The kids found sticks outside the size of a small dowel, about ¼” in diameter. We taped the sticks down on the inside with duct tape, figuring the tape would be covered with bird seed. Don’t get hung up on perfection. Improvise where you need to.
We’re going for simple here. And realistic.
Not perfection.
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4) Fix any design issues your bird feeder might have.
The terra cotta pots had an inherent problem with their design – the opening of the pot, when hung on its side, just spills out the birdseed. SO! I put my pre-teen son on the task of devising a solution.
Obviously it required cardboard and duct tape.
My son simply cut a small piece of cardboard, with a notch for the stick, that fit in the curve of the pot. He fastened it with tape on the inside. This will all be covered with birdseed.
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5) String ribbon (or wire) around (or through) your can (or pot).
Finally, instead of ribbon we used this faux-wood wire we had in our laundry room/utility closet/garage/garden shed. I’m sure you could use anything here. Then just string your wire, (or ribbon, or whatever) through the hole on the bottom.
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6) Fill your bird feeder with bird seed.
We got a big ol’ bag of birdseed at Lowe’s for around $5.
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7) Hang your bird feeder.
Find a charming spot to hang your bird feeder. Somewhere you can really enjoy it. Because they’re super sweet and they’ll remind you of this awesome time you spent with your kids. Hang them outside a window you look out of often. Maybe out the kitchen window and they can bring you some joy while you’re doing the dishes. We hung ours in our front yard where we can see them every time we walk out our front door. I can see them from my favorite chair on our front porch.
Conversations with Kids: The Importance of Late Spring
Everything is bursting with life right now.
Notice the world around you. What are the signs of spring you’re observing right now. Talk about the leaves returning on the trees, all the flowers that are blooming. What are the coolest flowers you’ve seen so far this spring? What are your favorites?
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Spring is a time for celebrating all the life around us.
Remind the kids (and ourselves) to be grateful for all the life that returns in the spring. It makes us feel happy. And joyful. And alive.
It’s so amazing and important and magnificent how life is able to renew itself, and create new life. It’s important we feel grateful for that, as well.
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Talk about how new things are born.
Embrace spring as a time to have these important conversations with your kids; don’t be afraid to talk to them about how babies are born. This is a vital conversation to have with your kids. Often. Use this time to check in.
Engage them in age-appropriate conversations about sex. Follow their lead. Ask them what they know. Ask them if there’s things they want to know. (If you need some ideas for jumping into “the talk” with your kids, try this article with age-appropriate talking points.)
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Remind children their bodies are SACRED.
Their bodies are powerful. Their bodies are beautiful and astounding. And, their bodies will have the ability to create new life when they are older. But their bodies are still growing and changing, they need to feel comfortable and confident in their bodies, their bodies need to be mature, before they’re able to explore that part of themselves. Children and teenagers need to take the time to enjoy and celebrate all the different things their bodies are able to do.
What is something your body can do now that you’re really proud of? What is something you can do this year, that you weren’t able to do last year? Set a goal for yourself, what is something you’d like to accomplish, physically, in the next year.
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Spring is a time to be joyful & celebrate life.
This time in late spring feels good! What makes you feel good? What is something joyful and fun that you’d like to do outdoors this spring?
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