Making Bird Feed

Materials needed:

• basket of dried bread
• small wooden hammer(play dough hammers work great)
  
• plastic bag (sandwich size or recycle an old bread bag)
  
• bowl
• carpet square (to muffle hammering sound)
• tray/or table top surface

Directions:
The child takes a piece of dried bread and places it in the bag.
He/she hammers the bread into fine crumbs, then pours the crumbs into the bowl.
He/she continues this process until the bowl is filled with bread crumbs.
He/she then carries the bowl over to the bird feeder and empties it.
He/she returns the bowl to the tray, then sits back and watches the birds eat the feed.

Purpose:

• to feed the birds
• gross motor skill development
• to feel helpful and good about providing food for animals
• frustration release

The photo is of an egg carton bird feeder my middle son and I made this weekend. He has yet to make the bird feed mentioned here, I'll let you know how it goes. I like the idea of him making something with his own hands. It feels so good to create. ENJOY! The bird feed idea is from a book called: The Outdoor Classroom by Mary Boden, I highly recommend this book!
~~MM