We had beautiful weather this weekend, so I pulled out the supplies to make a toilet paper roll bird feeder craft and asked the kids if they wanted to make them. I got one taker.
As we were finishing, the oldest said, “that looks fun, I thought you were doing a boring activity.” He’s not much of a crafter; even your non crafty kids will enjoy this project.
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The kids enjoyed making bird seed ornaments this winter for the birds using lard. They got so excited when a bird flew into our backyard and nibbled on the bird see ornaments that they had crafted.
Lard does not hold up as the weather warms up, so we needed new bird feeders. With Earth Day coming up, it was the perfect opportunity to use our toilet paper rolls.
We love crafting with toilet paper and paper towel rolls. I have everyone trained to save all the toilet paper rolls. We have a box just for cardboard rolls with our craft supplies.
Supplies:
- Peanut Butter
- Craft/Popsicle Sticks
- Bird seed
- Toilet paper rolls
- Twine
Update: Many have asked for alternatives to peanut butter. I have not tried any of these, but these are suggestions I have recieved: sunflower butter, almond butter, or soy butter. This natural homemade glue was also suggested. You can find it here.
Directions:
1. Using a popsicle stick, cover outside of toilet paper roll with peanut butter.
2. Roll the peanut butter covered toilet paper roll in the bird seed until covered.
3. Thread a piece of twine through the toilet paper roll and knot.
4. Hang where birds can enjoy.
Extended learning:
This is a great Earth day craft and an opportunity to talk about earth day. Earth day is a big event with a lot of history and new stories. It’s a lot for young kids to understand. We can teach them to recycle, reuse what we already have in our crafts, and to take care of the environment. In this case, feeding the birds.
Kid Craft Challenge
This post is part our Kid Craft Challenge. The challenge for this month was to create a craft from a recycled item. Check out what fellow bloggers created from recyclables below.
- DIY Indonesian Easter Basket From Recycled Can by Maria Magdalena Living Ideas
- Chalkboard wooden house blocks by The Gingerbread House
- Easter Egg & Friends Painting Project For Kids from Play Dough & Popsicles
This is really an amazing idea… I would’ve never thought of this! Thank you for sharing, and great to connect with you!
You might enjoy these similar post from JoyfulSavings: Turn Paper Rolls into these Useful Items!
My kids would love to make these and watch the birds come and eat.
Would you have an idea for a peanut butter alternative, we have a peanut allergy in our classroom.
I have been told that Sunflower Butter works. Almond butter and soy butter were also suggested. Hope one of those is a winner for you.
Awesome! Thanks…..I was gonna ask the same question.
Hi there what other suggestion can you use in stead of butter ,peanut butter is out.
I am doing a stanbility for my placement and just wondering what else you can use.
Besides almond, sunflower, or soy butter, someone also suggested this, but I don’t know that it has been tested on these toilet paper roll bird feeders https://www.pinterest.com/pin/108508672243789206/sent/?sender=323555691887388292&invite_code=c9624e7cec8c653d361e3aad5ac1b2cb Good luck! Hope that helps Belinda!
A soy butter called “Wow Butter” tastes and smells exactly like peanut butter. It even comes with mini-stickers under the label “this is a nut-free product” that you stick onto the lunch bags.
Thank you Char for the suggestion! I plan to update the post with all these great nut-free ideas.
Perhaps corn syrup might work – or honey. Practically anything sticky and natural. Honey would probably be better as won’t go off either.
Maybe honey would work
Thanks for the suggestion Barbara!
Try using vegetable shortening
That is a great suggestion as well!
Would Honey work?
I think Honey may work – it definitely would help to stick but where it is a little runnier in consistency it may be harder to work with for the kids.
Crisco shortening is a great peanut butter replacement and is better for the birds.
This was just perfect timing, Kim, because our Latticed Learning theme for this coming week is birds! I’m definitely planning to make one of these and I’ll be sure to link back to your post so that everyone else can see your great idea, too! Have a super weekend!
Thanks Lisa!
Super fun idea! We are a peanut free zone at the preschool I’m at, but I bet this would work just as well with sun butter or soy nut butter! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Thanks Amber! Yes, both of those products have been recommended as a substitution for the peanut butter. Hope you enjoy them!
Great simple idea! 🙂 Lisa
Any ideas on the “shelf life” for a bird feeder like this? If you made it today and kept it cool/dry, could someone use it in a month or two or are the seeds likely to go bad or the toilet paper roll likely to degrade more quickly? Looking to create and then distribute later.
Sue we hung ours immediately. I would guess that the paper roll would start to deteriorate after too long.
Hi Kim – vegetable shortening works great for this project and actually white glue like Elmers is also okay. The glue is non-toxic and the birds are plucking the seeds off and then removing the shell so they are not eating whatever product you use to stick them on.
Also if using peanut butter you can warm it a few seconds in the microwave to make it easier to spread. …..just saying…
Thank you Jacque!
These bird feeders are great. Just found your site via Sarah’s from gardenfulofdreams.com. My kids are standing right by me and they want to do that right now… well, I just threw a bunch of rolls out. I wish, would have seen your post earlier. A great share.