Eco-Friendly Fun with the Kids: How to Create a Recycled Bird Feeder

School is already out in some parts of the country and in others, it won’t be long! It’s a perfect time to impress upon your children the importance of recycling and being environmentally responsible. This recycled bird feeder project is a great way to do just that. It only takes a few minutes to create, but your kids will enjoy it for a long time! You’ll Need:

• A Recycled 2 Liter Soda Bottle
• A Recycled Disposable Plastic Plate, Preferably with Raised Sides
• A Bag of Wild Bird Seed
• Hot Glue Gun
• A Small Amount of Wire or String
• Scissors

Step 1 First, remove any paper from the 2 liter bottle and clean it with soap and warm water. Then, cut the bottom half of the 2 liter bottle off using a sharp knife. It’s best to handle this yourself unless your children are old enough to do this step without injuring themselves. You can plug in the hot glue gun so it will be ready when you need it too. Cut a small, dome shaped area from the bottom of the cut bottle. This will be the opening where the bird seed comes out. Step 2 Get your plastic plate ready and using the hot glue gun, run a line of glue around the bottom of the 2 liter bottle, skipping the dome shaped section only. If you’re using a low heat glue gun, kids should be able to help with this part. Be careful though – you don’t want to ruin the day with a burn! Firmly affix the bottle to the ‘eating surface’ of the plate, directly in the middle. Hold the bottle down for a few minutes to ensure that the glue has dried and cooled. Step 3 Poke 2 holes through the top of the 2 liter bottle with the scissors. Then, thread your wire or string through the holes and tie it so you have something to hang the bird feeder with. Now, you can remove the top for the bird feeder, fill it with seed and then replace the top. Voila – an easy, eco-friendly project your kids will love! They’ll also be really proud to see their birdfeeder attracting birds in the backyard. For more information on teaching your kids about environmental responsibility, check out the tips and advice at Nature Moms!