Wonderful for all groups, and children love this, it’s a great sensory activity and can be enjoyed by all.
Length of activity: 30 mins – 1 hour
You will need
Large plastic bowls, wooden spoons, gloves (the latex free medical ones work well), lard, bird seed, oats, left over mince meat or dried fruit, and aprons, old margarine tubs or small yogurt pots, or empty half coconuts with a hole cut in the top for hanging, string and scissors. (Washing facilities or wet wipes are also useful, this can be messy play!)
What to do
Make sure the lard is reasonably soft, and put a block in each bowl. Mash this up with spoons or squidge in gloved hands.
Add 2 mugfuls of bird seed to the bowl, along with one of oats, and a couple of tablespoons of fruit or mincemeat.
Squidge or mix together until the mixture has seeds all the way through.
Thread some string through the yogurt/margarine tubs or coconut husks, then press the mixture in these, then hang around the garden.
The birds will be waiting for you!
Discussion
What birds will come into your garden? (Various garden birds)
Why use lard and seeds?( For bird central heating and energy)
Do birds help gardeners and how? (Pest control, beauty, biodiversity)
