DIY Bird Feeder

What You Need:

• Slinky
• Ribbon
• Wire coat hanger
• Needle nose pliers
• Scissors
• Raw nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds and acorns are good choices)

What You Do:

1. Have your child use scissors to cut a strip of ribbon that is roughly 10 inches long. The type of ribbon they use doesn't matter. This strand of ribbon will merely be used temporarily as a tie to hold the slinky in place.
2. Help them use the pliers to untwist the metal coat hanger. Leave the hook in place, but stretch the triangular portion of the coat hanger out and into a U-shape.
3. Let them thread the metal coils of the slinky over the open end of the U-shaped wire hanger around to where the hook starts.
4. Have your child fill the slinky with nuts. You'll want to ensure that the toy spring isn't stretched out so far that the nuts fall out too easy, but at the same time a bird should be able to work the nuts loose. You and your child might have to experiment for a few minutes to get the nuts fitted just right.
5. Once the nuts are properly positioned, let your child tie the metal coils on each end with the ribbon. This will keep the coils tight.
6. Help them wrap the loose end of the metal hanger around the base of the hook several times to secure the bird feeder.
7. Have them remove the ribbon.
8. To refill the DIY bird feeder, help your child stretch two of the top coils apart to make an opening wide enough to add nuts.
9. Find a place outside to hang your child's bird feeder—make sure it's a spot that birds can easily find!