Category — Winter

During the winter months many birds benefit from fat in their diet so why not make a suet bell or suet pine cone bird feeder with your grandchildren.
You will need:
Fat (lard or drippings from a roast or bacon ). If you don’t have enough fat you can add unsalted peanut butter.
Filler (bird seed, dried fruit, cookie or cake crumbs).
For each ½ pound of fat you will need 1 pound of filler.
Paper cup
String
Make a small hole in the bottom of the paper cup and insert the string. Be sure it is long enough so you can hang the bell on a tree branch. Tie a not on the inside of the cup so the string won’t pull through. Leave some string hanging inside the paper cup.
Melt the fat in a heavy saucepan and add filler. Mix well. Let the mixture cool slightly then pour into paper cut. When the mixture has hardened tear off the paper cup. Hang on a branch and see what birds come.

There are lots of activities to do once the suet bell is hung.
1. Predict and count how many birds will come in 10 minutes.
2. Predict and count how many different birds will come.
3. Take a picture of a bird eating the suet bell and write a poem or a story.
4. When your grandchildren leave, keep an eye on the suet bell and call or write them about what you’ve noticed. How long until it was all eaten.
5. Make 2 bells, one to keep at your home and one for your grandchild to take home. They can call or write you about what they have noticed.
For a pine cone bird feeder, I used the same mixture and spread it all around the pine cone. Hang with string or wire.

More Bird Feeder Ideas

I had so much fun with my grandchildren making snowman sandwiches. I had 3 different sizes of circles for the kids to cut their snowman parts. I used an empty soup can, a small funnel and a lid from a peanut butter jar. They pressed the shape into the bread to make the 3 parts of a snowman. Then they spread tuna salad, peanut butter and jam on the sections. The face and buttons were raisins, olives and cashews. We also made snowmen from oranges slices. I sliced the orange and let them create their snowmen. You can also use cookie cutters and make different sandwiches throughout the year depending on the season.

This is a fun and easy activity that can be played almost anywhere. It helps your grandchildren with their SPELLING. It’s a version of “hangman”. Using a pencil draw a snowman on paper. Be sure to include the eyes, nose, mouth, hat, and scarf. Think of a word and write one blank per letter. Have your grandchild begin guessing letters. For each incorrect guess, erase one part of the snowman. Can your grandchild figure out the word before the snowman melts. I found this idea in the Home & School Connection newsletter that Granite School District sends out monthly.

This is a fun & easy decoration to make with your grandchildren or children.
All you need is:
Paint stirring stick, tongue depressor, black & white paint, buttons, googly eyes, fabric scraps (scarf), orange marker or felt (nose), black marker (mouth), ribbon (for hanging) and hot glue.
Directions:
1. Paint stick & tongue depressor & glue as shown.
2. Add face, scarf & buttons.
3. Attach ribbon on back with hot glue.

This is a fun and easy way to play catch with your grandchild. It’s especially great for younger children who may have difficulty catching with their hands.  You can even play inside the house.
Materials:
1 gallon milk carton  with handle (empty, of course)
Ball or bean bag
Directions:
1. Cut out a section of the milk carton large enough to catch a ball or bean bag. Be sure to leave the handle intact so you can hold the catcher.
2. Take turns tossing the ball and trying to catch it in the milk carton catcher.