Examples of DIY Bird Feeders for Kids: 3 Fun Examples You’ll Actually Make

Let’s jump straight into the good stuff: real examples you can actually pull off with kids, even on a busy afternoon. These three core projects show the range of what’s possible, from super simple to a little more advanced.

1. Peanut butter tube feeder (cardboard roll)

This is the classic example of a kid-friendly bird feeder: fast, cheap, and wildly satisfying.

You’ll need:

• Empty toilet paper or paper towel roll
• Peanut butter or nut-free spread (like sunflower seed butter if allergies are a concern)
• Birdseed
• String or yarn

How it works:
Smear the roll with a thin layer of peanut butter, then roll it in birdseed until it’s well coated. Thread string through the tube and hang it from a tree branch or balcony railing.

Why kids love it:

• Quick payoff: they can finish in minutes and hang it right away.
• Sensory fun: sticky, crunchy, and a little messy—in a good way.
• Great for little hands: preschoolers can help spread and roll with adult support.

Safety note: If you’re working with a group or around peanut allergies, use a seed butter, soy butter, or even softened lard/shortening instead. For general guidance on managing food allergies with kids, the CDC’s school health resources are a helpful reference.

This is one of the best examples of DIY bird feeders for kids that works indoors on a rainy day and still gets them outside to hang it when the clouds clear.

2. Recycled bottle bird feeder (beginner engineering)

This project turns trash into a tiny engineering lesson. It’s a favorite in classrooms and scout groups.

You’ll need:

• Clean plastic bottle (16–20 oz soda or water bottle)
• Birdseed
• Two wooden spoons or sturdy sticks/dowels
• String
• Scissors or craft knife (adult use)

How it works:
An adult cuts two small holes near the bottom of the bottle and feeds the handles of the wooden spoons through, crossing them so the spoon ends stick out as perches. Cut a small opening just above each spoon so seed can spill out slowly. Fill the bottle with seed, add a hanging string, and you’ve got a gravity-fed feeder.

Why it’s a standout example of a DIY bird feeder:

• Introduces kids to cause and effect: more holes = more seed flow.
• Encourages problem-solving: kids can adjust hole size if seed pours out too fast.
• Reinforces recycling: a concrete way to talk about plastic waste.

This is one of the best examples of diy bird feeders for kids: 3 fun examples often highlighted in school eco-clubs, because it links so nicely to conversations about reusing materials and protecting wildlife.

3. Orange cup bird feeder (nature + snack)

This one feels almost magical to kids because the feeder is also food.

You’ll need:

• An orange (grapefruit works too)
• Birdseed
• String or twine
• Skewer or chopstick (for poking holes)

How it works:
Cut the orange in half and scoop out the fruit (snack time!). Poke three or four holes near the rim of each half, thread string through to create a hanging cup, then fill the orange shell with birdseed.

Why it’s a fun example of DIY bird feeders for kids:

• Uses natural materials instead of plastic.
• Doubles as a mini lesson on composting and biodegradable items.
• Smells great and feels very “forest fairy” to younger kids.

Once it starts to break down, you can compost the orange or bury it in a garden bed—another small way to talk about nature’s cycles.

These three core projects are the heart of our examples of diy bird feeders for kids: 3 fun examples, but they’re just the start. Once kids try these, they’re usually ready to experiment with more ideas.

More real examples of DIY bird feeders for kids (beyond the first 3)

If your child gets hooked after those first feeders, you’re in luck. Here are more real examples that build on the same ideas but add new twists: art, STEM, and even some light citizen science.

Cereal garland feeder (fine motor practice)

Think of this as nature’s necklace.

You’ll need:

• Loop-shaped cereal (like O-shaped oat cereal)
• String or thin twine
• Tape

Kids thread cereal onto the string like beads. Tape one end so cereal doesn’t slide off, then tie the ends and hang it on a branch.

Why it works:

• Great for fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
• Simple enough for toddlers with help, but still fun for older kids who like patterns.
• Easy cleanup and fully biodegradable.

This is a gentle example of a DIY bird feeder for kids that works especially well in apartment courtyards or small yards.

Pinecone seed feeder (classic nature walk project)

This one turns a walk into a mission.

You’ll need:

• Large pinecones
• Peanut butter or seed butter
• Birdseed
• String

Kids collect pinecones, tie string to the top, then spread peanut butter into the scales and roll in seed. Hang them on tree branches.

Why it’s one of the best examples:

• Encourages kids to look closely at trees and cones.
• Connects an outdoor walk with an at-home activity.
• Sturdy enough to last through light rain and wind.

If you’re in a region without pine trees, you can substitute with sturdy seed pods or even small sticks bundled together.

Scrap wood platform feeder (for older kids)

This is your woodworking upgrade.

You’ll need:

• Small scrap wood pieces or an old wooden tray
• Nails or wood screws
• Hammer or screwdriver
• Sandpaper
• String or chain

Older kids can help design a simple flat platform with low edges to hold seed. Sand any rough edges, attach hanging hardware, and suspend it from a branch or hook.

Why it’s a strong example of DIY bird feeders for kids:

• Introduces tool safety and basic construction.
• Great for upper elementary and middle school makers.
• Can be repainted or redesigned seasonally.

For safety guidance on tools and age-appropriate tasks, organizations like KidsHealth from Nemours and HealthyChildren.org (from the American Academy of Pediatrics) offer general home safety advice you can adapt.

Suet cup feeder (winter energy boost)

Birds need extra calories in cold weather, and kids love the “cooking” aspect of this one.

You’ll need:

• Muffin tin or silicone cups
• Melted suet, lard, or coconut oil
• Birdseed, oats, and small dried fruit (no added sugar)
• String

Mix seed and suet, pour into cups with a loop of string set in each, and chill until solid. Pop them out and hang.

Why it’s timely in 2024–2025:

• Many families are paying more attention to supporting local wildlife as climate patterns shift.
• Winter bird feeding is a simple way to help birds through harsher temperature swings.
• Kids can track which birds show up during different seasons.

For background on how changing climates affect bird migration and survival, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has accessible resources you can explore together.

Turning these examples into a mini science project

Once you have a few feeders up, you can turn these examples of diy bird feeders for kids: 3 fun examples into a low-pressure science investigation.

Compare different examples and what birds prefer

Hang at least two different feeders—maybe the peanut butter tube and the recycled bottle—within the same general area. Ask kids to predict:

• Which feeder will attract the most birds?
• Do small birds prefer one style and larger birds another?

Then observe for a week:

• Keep a simple tally chart of birds seen at each feeder.
• Note the time of day and weather (sunny, cloudy, rainy).
• Take short daily notes: “More birds at the orange cup today,” or “Squirrels stole from the platform feeder.”

This turns your examples of DIY bird feeders into real examples of how scientists collect data: watch, record, compare.

If you want to go deeper, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Academy offers kid-friendly bird ID help and citizen science projects like Project FeederWatch.

Add a 2024–2025 STEM twist

Families and teachers are leaning into hands-on STEM more than ever, and bird feeders are a gentle entry point. Here’s how to make these examples of diy bird feeders for kids feel a bit more like a modern science lab:

• Use a simple thermometer to note temperature when you observe birds. Do you see more birds at 45°F than at 75°F?
• Try different seed types in two similar feeders (sunflower vs. mixed seed) and compare visits.
• For older kids, log observations in a spreadsheet or simple app and make a bar graph.

These tweaks transform the best examples of DIY bird feeders for kids into ongoing experiments rather than one-off crafts.

Tips to make these examples of DIY bird feeders for kids safe and successful

You don’t need to overcomplicate safety, but a few habits will keep your bird visitors and your kids healthier.

Keep feeders clean

Bird experts recommend cleaning feeders regularly to reduce the spread of disease between birds. A simple routine:

• Dump old, wet, or moldy seed.
• Wash feeders with warm, soapy water.
• Rinse well and let them dry before refilling.

The U.S. Geological Survey and other wildlife agencies have periodically issued alerts about bird illnesses at feeders; checking your state wildlife agency’s website once or twice a year is a smart move.

Place feeders thoughtfully

When you hang these examples of DIY bird feeders for kids, keep in mind:

• Windows: Place feeders either very close (within 3 feet) or farther away (over 10 feet) from windows to reduce collision risk.
• Predators: Avoid low spots where cats can hide and pounce.
• Kid access: Hang some feeders low enough that kids can refill them with supervision.

Choose kid-appropriate tasks

You know your child best, but as a general guide:

• Ages 3–5: Spreading peanut butter, rolling seed, threading cereal.
• Ages 6–9: Measuring seed, tying knots, helping design feeder placement.
• Ages 10+: Helping with simple cutting (with safety tools), building wood platforms, leading observations.

For broader child development milestones and what kids can typically handle at different ages, the CDC’s developmental milestones are a useful reference.

Simple ways to extend the learning

You’ve already got the hands-on part covered with these examples of diy bird feeders for kids: 3 fun examples and several bonus ideas. To stretch it a bit further without turning it into a formal lesson:

• Start a bird journal: Kids can draw the birds they see, note colors, and invent nicknames.
• Add a field guide: Keep a basic bird guide or app nearby and try identifying just one or two species at first.
• Talk about migration: When certain birds disappear for a season, ask where they might have gone.
• Connect to bigger ideas: Discuss how providing food and shelter can help wildlife in neighborhoods with fewer trees or natural spaces.

These real examples of DIY bird feeders for kids become a doorway into bigger conversations about caring for the planet, noticing small details, and being patient observers—skills kids can carry into every subject.

FAQ: Common questions about examples of DIY bird feeders for kids

Q: What are some easy examples of DIY bird feeders for kids who are very young?
For very young children, the easiest examples include the peanut butter tube feeder, cereal garlands, and orange cup feeders. All three use simple motions—spreading, rolling, and threading—that little hands can manage with guidance. Avoid sharp tools and keep the focus on the fun, tactile parts.

Q: Which example of a DIY bird feeder is best for a school classroom?
The recycled bottle feeder is a strong classroom choice. Students can each bring a bottle from home, and the project ties nicely into lessons about recycling and plastic waste. The peanut butter tube feeder is another good example of a quick, low-cost option if time is tight.

Q: How many different examples of DIY bird feeders for kids should we try at once?
Two or three feeders at a time is usually enough. That gives kids a chance to compare which designs attract more birds without overwhelming you with refilling and cleaning. You can rotate through the best examples over a month or a season.

Q: Are there examples of DIY bird feeders for kids that don’t use peanut butter?
Yes. Real examples include the recycled bottle feeder (just seed and a container), cereal garlands, wood platform feeders, and orange cup feeders filled only with birdseed. For sticky projects like pinecone feeders, you can substitute seed butter, lard, or coconut oil.

Q: What’s one simple example of turning bird feeders into a science project?
Hang two similar feeders—like two bottle feeders—with different seed types. Ask kids to predict which seed birds will prefer, then tally visits for a week. This small experiment helps kids understand how scientists test ideas by changing just one thing at a time.

By starting with these examples of diy bird feeders for kids: 3 fun examples and layering in a few of the extras, you’ll give kids a hands-on way to connect with nature that feels playful, not preachy—and that’s where the real learning sticks.