Your students will love making bird feeders. There are many style options to choose from. It’s easy to make a feeder while using this down loadable template.

Make a natural feeder using leaves, moss, small rocks and sticks. If you are looking for shine and sparkle, cover it with tin foil and glue on rhinestones. If you’d like to make a present for the birds, cover the feeder with wrapping paper and ribbons. This feeder can be a unique and fun Valentines’ Day gift for parents.

Materials:

• Milk carton
• Free Bird Feeder Craft template and gift tag
• Birdseed
• Decorative cover, such as leave, tin foil and rhinstones or wrapping paper. (See options in the first paragraph.)
• Tape or glue
• Scissors
• 8 popsicle sticks, chopsticks, small twigs or branches
• chenille stems, pom poms, feathers and stickers (optional)

Instructions:

1. Clean out the inside of a milk carton and let it dry.
2. Use a pen to draw four squares on each side of the milk carton.  Here’s a printable template to use as a guide.
3. Cut the squares shown on the template on each side of the carton.
4. Fold the lower portions in half for the perch.
5. Fold the upper portions up for the awning.
6. Glue on sticks, chopsticks or popsicle sticks to keep the perch in place and add more for the birds to stand on.
7. Decide on the style you would like to have (as explained in the first paragraph) and gather the needed materials (e.g. wrapping paper and ribbons).
8. Decorate the milk carton.
9. Use a hole puncher to make a hole on top and string with ribbon or yarn.
10. Fill the bird feeder with bird seed.
11. Be sure to hang the bird feeder under a covered patio to protect it from rain and snow. Here’s a free gift tag note.