Easy Fall Crafts Using Pine Cones: Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Easy Fall Crafts Using Pine Cones: Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeders

The days of dashing through sprinklers, playing at the park, and in general, spending the majority of your time outdoors are quickly coming to an end. For many of us, fall weather has already descended. In the midwest, temperatures are already low enough to warrant light jackets. For moms everywhere this means finding fun and educational indoor activities – FAST! For many, it means breaking out some hands on crafts that allow the little ones to exercise creativity, motor skills, and excess energy while learning a thing or two.

Depending on which part of the country you live in, the fall provides a unique opportunity to engage in some fun and frugal crafts by using items found in nature such as leaves and pine cones. In fact, fall crafts using pine cones are pretty numerous…just check Pinterest.

The great thing about fall crafts using pine cones and other nature items is that you get twice the fun for the price of one (so to speak). You and the kids get to go out and hunt the “ingredients” you’ll use for your craft project and then you get to sit down and actually use those items. Plus, bonus for Mom, you get to save money. If pine cones are pretty prevalent where you live, I definitely recommend trying out a few fall crafts using pine cones this year and if they are not you can inexpensively pick some up on Amazon.com.

Fall crafts using pine cones range from the complex (like making store-worthy wreaths) to the simple like this fall craft using pine cones for DIY bird feeders. If you need more inspiration here are 50 fall crafts for kids that the family will love!

For more fun craft project ideas follow Freebie Finding Mom’s Crafts for Kids Pinterest board.

MATERIALS

• Pine cones – Look for those that are open to make spreading the peanut butter a lot easier.
• Peanut butter – Don’t be afraid to buy off-brand or cheap peanut butter…the birds won’t mind!
• Twine
• Bird seed

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut a length of twine for each pine cone. The twine should be long enough to tie around the top of a pine cone and then hang from a tree branch (12-20″)

2. Tie the twine around the very top part of the pine cone. NOTE: Do this first because doing it last (after the pine cones are covered in peanut butter) would be super messy.

3. Using a small spatula or butter knife, spread peanut butter over the pine cone. NOTE: A little goes a long way so you don’t need a lot and the less you give the kids the less mess they make! 😉

4. Pour some birdseed into a bowl wide enough for the pine cone. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed. You can also sprinkle birdseed directly onto the pine cone to make sure it is well covered.

5. Pick a spot and hang them up! Preferably in a place where you can watch the birds enjoy their treat.

When it comes to fall crafts using pine cones and other outdoor items, it doesn’t get much simpler or more frugal than this. What’s also great about this fall craft using pine cones is it doesn’t take up the whole day. If you simply have a few hours to kill before dinner and want to have some fun with the kids this is the perfect project.

What other fall crafts using pine cones have you tried? Share your ideas and experiences in the comments.

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Homemade Pine Cone Bird Feeders

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Mother nature provides the main "ingredient" in these easy fall crafts. Using pine cones are the perfect way for you and the kids to partake in a fun, frugal and fall inspired project.

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Materials

• Pine cones – Look for those that are open to make spreading the peanut butter a lot easier.
• Peanut butter – Don’t be afraid to buy off-brand or cheap peanut butter…the birds won’t mind!
• Twine
• Bird seed

Instructions

1. Cut a length of twine for each pine cone. The twine should be long enough to tie around the top of a pine cone and then hang from a tree branch (12-20″)
2. Tie the twine around the very top part of the pine cone. NOTE: Do this first because doing it last (after the pine cones are covered in peanut butter) would be super messy.
3. Using a small spatula or butter knife, spread peanut butter over the pine cone. NOTE: A little goes a long way so you don’t need a lot and the less you give the kids the less mess they make! 😉
4. Pour some birdseed into a bowl wide enough for the pine cone. Roll the pine cone in the birdseed. You can also sprinkle birdseed directly onto the pine cone to make sure it is well covered.
5. Pick a spot and hang them up! Preferably in a place where you can watch the birds enjoy their treat.