Entries

March Madness (3/19/2010)

February Birding (2/8/10)

Resting in January (1/6/10)

December Decorations (12/1/2010)

Nests in November (11/7/09)

Orange October (10/5/09)

· Bird Feeders: Make life a little easier for some winter birds in your backyard by turning a tree into a giant bird restaurant !  A pinecone feeder can be made by simply slathering peanut butter (or another similarly sticky food) onto a pinecone, then rolling the pinecone around on a plate covered in birdseed.  Tie a ribbon onto the pinecone (weave it through some pieces or just glue it on top to affix the ribbon) and hang on a branch.  You and your child can also make tree necklaces to hang on the tree!  Start with a threaded needle and food that birds enjoy (berries, corn kernels, popped popcorn, nuts).  Children can pick out food and hand it to the adult to thread onto the string, making a long chain.  Outside, birds will nibble the food off the string, and the string can later be used in nest making!   You can also make a large birdfeeder out of an old oatmeal container.  Remove the bottom of the container, then take the plastic lid and cut it in half.  Lay the container on its side and put one half lid on each end so they line up.  Then cut two holes on the top and string a ribbon through them.  Put bird feed in the container and tie the container to a branch with the ribbon.  Sit back and watch as birds dine at your tree restaurant!  Kids can have fun naming their restaurant and identifying and keeping track of the birds that visit!

· Winter Bouquet: Go for a winter walk to collect evergreen branches and needles, pinecones, berries, twigs, pinecones, etc.  Bring home your collection and fill your vases with arrangements of these cold weather beauties!

· Footsteps in the Snow: Combine hide and seek and follow the leader in the snowy day game!  Take turns hiding as the other players try following the tracks left in the snow to find the hiding place!  The hider can try to create confusing tracks to make tracking them more difficult.     

· Tea Time: After a day of playing in the snow, warm up with a cup of all natural wintergreen tea.  Wintergreen is a flavorful plant that thrives throughout the winter.  Most people are familiar with the taste of wintergreen as it is commonly used in gum, toothpaste and mouthwash.  Collect some leaves (wash them before using) and crush a small amount, then steep in a cup of boiling water.  You can put the leaves in a tea strainer or let them settle to the bottom of the cup.  Try adding honey or cream.  Even children will be excited by making their very own tea from leaves they collected themselves!