Preschool winter crafts which take you outdoors on fine days.
Birdseed Cakes
Preschool kids love mixing in the seeds.
(Suitable for age 2 upwards, so long as you handle anything hot yourself.)
You'll need:
2 cups of millet and sunflower seeds (sold as birdseed in supermarkets and pet shops).
1 cup of solid vegetable shortening, or mutton or beef fat.
500ml plastic container, such as an empty yoghurt pot.
Plastic net bag (such as fruit are sold in).
What to do:
Put the fat or shortening into a saucepan and heat gently until melted.
Stir in the seeds. Mix well.
Pour into the plastic container and put in the fridge to set.
Once set, run hot water over the outside of the plastic pot, and turn the seed cake out onto a plate.
Push the seed-cake into the net bag and tie a knot in the bag.
Go outside and hang the bag from a tree, a fence or the eaves of your house. Make sure you can see it from inside.
Sit quietly at your window and watch the birds feed.
Talk about the different birds you see. If you're not sure what they're called, find a bird book in the library. Even small children are interested in the names of birds, what they eat, their nests, and the eggs they lay.
