Rainy Day Craft

It is rainy days like today that inspire me to get creative when planning activities for my toddler. We can't go outside and I can only play cars for so long without my brain going completely numb. So today, I broke out my notebook where I keep track of ideas I have seen around that I might want to try someday. Someday like today!

And since it is spring (it IS spring, right?), we decided to make a birdfeeder. It is actually WAY easier than you would think. There are a couple different ways to do it. Here's what we did today:

Supplies:

• Slice of bread (left out on the counter for a few hours or overnight so it is a little easier to work with)
• Cookie cutter (if you want o make your birdfeeder a certain shape- we left out this step. If you choose to use a cookie cutter, cut out the shape before you let the bread sit out)
  
• Peanut Butter
• Knife to spread peanut butter (plastic is better if you are letting the kiddos do it)
• Yarn or twine or rope
  

• Bird seed on a plate

1. After the bread has sat out and become nice and firm, spread peanut butter all over one or both sides of the bread.

   

2. Press the bread into the plate of birdseed so that the peanut butter is completely covered.

   

3. Punch a hole in the bread (I used a chopstick) and thread the yarn through. Tie a knot so you can hang the birdfeeder.
   

   

eating a little snack along the way

1. Hang outside on a tree for the birds to eat. Don't be surprised if you see a few squirrels eating away at the yummy treat.

See, easy huh?

There are lots of variations on this theme. You can use a pinecone with peanut butter and birdseed or use a day-old bagel. You can mix in dry oats with the birdseed to give the birds an even more delicious snack.

Another cool idea is to make an Orange Bird Feeder. Using fruit will attract different birds. Kind you would not see with just plain fruit.

Cut off the top of the orange. Using the spoon, carefully scoop out the inside of the orange. We only scoop half of it out, leaving some of the fruit for the birds to eat.

Take the chop stick and punch four holes in the orange peel around the top of the orange. Thread your string through the holes and tie above with a double knot. Fill the rest of the orange with birdseed and hang from a tree. Then, sit back and watch all the birds that will flock to your new fruit feeder.

My little guy stands at the back window, just waiting to see the birds eating our bread/peanut butter birdfeeder. We've had a couple already and even I get excited. Hooray!! It is spring!!