I’ve been loving the Summer Camp Crafts week over at Impress Your Kids. There are so many fun and creative ideas for camp. Today, Amanda is showing how to make a God’s Eye craft that doubles as a memory holder. And I’m joining the fun and sharing a craft I’ve done once before, but is just too perfect for camp that I need to share it again! Peanut Butter Bird Feeders are an easy craft that would be great for camp, both young and old.
Supplies for Pine Cone Bird Feeder:
- pine cones
- peanut butter
- bird seed
- string/yarn
- something to hang it from, tree, porch, fence, etc.
Start with a nature hike to find your pine cones! Spread the peanut butter onto the pine cone. Roll it around in bird seeds. Tie a string at the top of the pine cone. Now hang it from a tree. Hopefully soon the birds will start munching!
Written by Marie LeBaron
Marie LeBaron is the founder and managing editor of Make and Takes. Always having a love of crafts, she enjoys getting messy with glue and glitter. There’s always some sort of project going on, her kitchen counter is often cluttered with crafts. When she’s not crafting and creating with her kids, she loves to run, read, and blog! Read other posts by Marie
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
LOVE this! It’s a perfect camp craft—and is it weird to say that it looks yummy?!!
{thanks for being a part of our Summer Camp!}
a
Any suggestions for those with peanut allergies? I was trying to think of a substitute for peanut butter that wouldn’t break the bank.
Use crisco lard instead of peanut butter for people who allergies.
Joanne – Great question. You can use almond butter, if it’s only a peanut allergy. Or you can simply use lard or crisco. Even hardened fat (from bacon) has been used with bird seed. Here’s a link you can check a few other ways out: http://www.a-home-for-wild-birds.com/bird-food-recipes.html
My son also has a peanut/tree nut allergy and we used a stick of Crisco when his class made these at school and it worked terrific. Actually, most of his classmates wanted to use Crisco instead of peanut butter, so it was a fun project for him to be different for once! Another great idea for a bird feeder is taking an old milk jug and cutting out both sides so the birds can get in and then filling the bottom with birdseed. You can attach string through the top to tie to a tree or your deck.
Oh this makes me so nostaglic for when i was little. love this project.
What can be used instead of a pinecone??
Brandi – I’ve seen people use a lot of things for this, a pine cone is just there to look woodsy! You could use a bagel, paper cup, plastic bottle, milk jug. Really anything that can be hung and will hold peanut butter and seeds.
Not to rain on your parade… but peanut butter kills birds. Thats what I’ve heard recently and don’t get me wrong, I uses to make these bird feeders until I was going to make one with my preschool class then my boss informed me that peanut butter kills birds. Something to look into?
Sara, perhaps it is the thick consistency of the peanut butter that harms them. It’s always advised that you don’t give peanut butter (or other sticky, gummy foods) to over-eager eaters.
Perhaps if you used all-natural peanut butter (the plain kind, which is basically just pulverized peanuts) that is watered down slightly.
It’s too bad that peanut butter is bad for birds… it’s such a cute project!
Sara – Thanks for letting me know your findings. You can always use hardened fat (from bacon) with bird seed, spreading that around the pine cones.
Any comments on partially softening the peanut butter in the microwave and dipping or rolling the pinecones in it? I have many to make and would like to find a way that is a little quicker.
Susan – That’s a great idea! I’m sure that would be a quicker. I wouldn’t microwave it for too long, peanut butter, you just would want it soft.
Have fun!
Peanut butter is not bad for birds. Check out Bird Watchers Digest, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and other sites. Of course natural (no salt, sugar) is best. Especially with the seed imbedded. Mix it with a little Corn meal or cracked corn if you don;t want to buy bird seed–make it a little crunchier. Go for it!
F.Y.I. I used to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Wisconsin. I would make these feeders with kids at campgrounds. Our Wildlife tech. told me that just using just peanut butter with nothing else but birdseed can kill the birds. Their beaks will stick together. Please add something like lard, shortening, bacon drippings.