Easy to Make Bird Feeders

Who doesn't love a craft that is EASY, CHEAP, and YUMMY!?

My campers made bird feeders and were proud of the results! 

STEP ONE: Gather materials - Tie ribbon of string around the pine cone so that it
can be easily hooked over a tree branch.

 

**We did this craft outside so we didn't make a mess inside.  

(All materials can be left outside for birds to come get) **

 

STEP TWO:  Cover the pine cone in peanut butter! 

**Peanut butter is actually a very nutritious treat, high in calories and fat content, that many bird species prefer,
including nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers and jays**

STEP THREE: Cover the pine cone in bird seed! 

STEP FOUR:  Hang bird feeder in tree and wait from
afar for your feathered friends to feast!  :) 

Solar System Mobile

Materials: 

• Planet Cutouts (we colored the planets after using coloring pages)
• Crayons
• Yellow Plate 
• Glue
• Scissors
• Hole Puncher
• Yarn or String

We did this with our campers after they visited the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Illinois.  

The kids enjoyed it and had fun figuring out which planets were what color and size! 

Colorful Butterflies

This was one of my favorite crafts when I was a little girl!  

It is really simple for little kids!

I remember doing this in two different ways 

so in two ways I will demonstrate.   

Example A.

*The artsy approach, in which I recommend!*

1.) You need one coffee filter per butterfly. 

2.) Flatten coffee filters!  

Mine flattened very easily, if yours do not,

 I recommend preparing by flattening between 

books a couple hours prior!

3.) Fold in half and draw a butterfly on one side of the filter! 

This is just to guide your scissors for when you cut it out! 

4.) Cut out your butterfly! 

Keep the coffee filter folded to ensure 

your butterfly has equal, symmetrical wings!

(and unfold!) 

5.) Use Crayola Markers to color in your butterfly as desired.  

I recommend giving your tot a piece of paper towel or something

to go under the filter as they color so it doesn't get on the counter. 

(see next photo above butterfly! OOPS!)

(Even college kids need protection for the counter!) 

I colored mine with a very young child in mind.  

My outcome is very equal to the effort I put in.  

For the best results, color the wings evenly unlike mine! :)

6.) Fold up your butterfly again and dip it in water. I dipped down butterfly body down

and then flipped it over to let the wings drip down.  

7.) Lay out on paper towel and let dry! :) 

Be careful re-opening while wet! 

Once dry feel free to draw on facial features or wing details! 

If I felt inclined, I could wait to the butterfly was dry and try my colors and water

dipping again to get the full effect that I desire!  

*I will do that and edit in a picture!* 

Example B.

*What I like to call the Scientific Approach*

The ink in a black felt-tip pen is made from chemicals of different colors. 

Mixed together, these colors look black.  

How can you see the colors?

With this activity, we can prove that the pens are made of multiple colors! 

You create the butterfly filter the same way as listen above.  

Use a black felt pen.

NOTE: The black crayola marker does not work well.

Draw a line down the middle of your butterfly

Fold the butterfly ink side up and hold.  

Use a spray bottle and spray toward the ink line

so that the ink runs down the butterfly wings!  

I failed and dropped my butterfly in after using a crayola marker....

This is not what you want.  

When done correctly, this is what your butterfly should look like...

Again, I prefer method A because it is easier and you

get better colors!  Also, you can use up those old crayola markers

on this project! 

:) 

Octopus Tag

Working together is very important for a student to learn about!

In this game, it is important to remember that we like the friends who are playing with us and to remember that we should not be rough or hurtful to those friends! 

Octopus Tag

In this game, the leader will have to designate the safe zones.  Typically, there are two safe zones at the two ends of the playing area!  

One person is picked to be the octopus.  Everyone else is to line up in one safe zone. 

The octopus begins the game by shouting "FEEDING TIME"

Everyone tries to run to the second safe place without getting tagged.  If the person gets caught, he or she must hold hands with the octopus. 

Now two people become the octopus.  They must hold hands and work together.  After shouting, "feeding time," they must run together and try to tag more people.  

When someone else is caught, he or she also become part of the octopus.  

The game ends when everyone has been caught.  

This game can get a little tricky when working with multiple age groups, so it is very important that leaders step in and help the octopus so no child is tripping or being dragged.  That's just no fun for anyone! 

;) 

Variations on Searching Games

We have all played a form of a "find it" game when we were young.  Here are some of my favorites!

"Hot and Cold"

 Player 1 closes his eyes while Player 2 (or group of players) hides an item somewhere in the room. Once the item is properly hidden, Player 1 searches for it slowly and deliberately while Player 2 assists with verbal clues. If Player 1 is not at all close to the item as he searches, Player 2 says, "You're cold," but as he gets closer to the hidden item, Player 2 responds, "Getting warmer…" When Player 1 is very close to the item, Player 2 says, "You're hot!" The verbal temperature indicators aid in finding the item.

Kids love being a part of this game and it has been around in playgrounds, classrooms, and backyards for ages.  Other variations of the game include....

 
"Doggy, Doggy Where's Your Bone?!"

With all participants sitting in a circle, one player is selected to sit in the middle and is the "Doggy".  The Doggy must close their eyes while the group decides to plant the "Bone" or item on one of the participants (sometimes labeled "Squirrels").  The "Doggy" knows when to open their eyes when the "Squirrels" sing/chant, "Doggy, Doggy, Where's Your Bone? Someone stole it from your home!" The Doggy then has three guesses to decide who has the bone.  The game can be looped by having the Doggy and Squirrel switch places. 

"Closet Key"

 *I love using this game in my general music internships!  The kids are always begging to play the game after their lessons. *

For this game, it is up to the discretion of the instructor how the children sit.  Personally, while visiting students in their home classroom, I have them remain at their desks.  

A player is selected to be the finder.  The group decides where in the playing space the "closet key" is hidden.  I have an antique key that we play with, but again, anything can be used.  The finder exits the playing space and the group hides the key.   The instructor gets the finder and the class begins to sing upon the finder entering.  

"I have lost my closet key in my lady's garden" 

(Do Do Mi Mi Do Do Mi Do Do Mi Mi Re Mi)

*Video to be displayed later* 

The closer to the object the finder is the LOUDER the group sings! 

The further away from the object the SOFTER the group sings! 

Washing Hands Song

"Washing Hands is Fun to Do"

(Sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star")

Washing Hands is fun to do

It keeps germs off me and you.

In our school or after play;

We need to wash those germs away.

After playing in the yard,

Use some soap and scrub real hard.  

Hand Washing should go on as long as it takes 

the students to sing the song  TWICE.  

Encourage good hand washing habits! 

:)