Feed the Birds with Your Kids

Looking for a quick and easy activity you can enjoy with your kids that will tap them into the wonders of Mother Nature? Feed the birds.

“Feeding the birds is a great way to get your kids to ditch their devices and go outdoors,” says Elaine Cole, president of Cole’s Wild Bird Products. Cole’s father, Richard Cole, founder of the company and a birding expert, inspired her love of wild birds and feeding them. “Interacting with nature helps kids in so many ways,” says Cole. “Feeding birds helps them understand science concepts. They also learn how important it is to care for our environment and its creatures.” An easy and really enjoyable way to teach kids about caring for Mother Nature and her inhabitants is to feed the birds with your kids. Here are some tips for doing so. Decide on a location for the birdfeeder Explain to your child that some locations are better than others for birdfeeders. You want to choose a location where the feeder can be seen from indoors so that you can all enjoy watching your feathered friends feast. It’s also important that the feeder is safe from predators. That means hanging them several feet away from shrubs where predators could hide. It also means placing them in or near trees where birds can take shelter. Talk about bird nutrition Talking about bird nutrition is good for your kids and the birds. Explain to them how good nutrition is just as important for birds as it is for them. The proper amount of nutrients will help the birds stay healthy and energized. Not all wild birds require the same type of food. Some eat bugs, grubs and worms, while others like seeds and berries. When feeding wild birds in your yard, your best bet is to put out a variety of bird foods. These include things like dried meal worms, seeds, like black oil sunflower seeds, nuts and suet, the latter of which provides birds with necessary fats. Consider types of bird feeders The feeder you choose will influence the type of birds that visit your garden. There are bowl type bird feeders with an open shape that makes it easy for kids to fill the bowl. This type of design is also handy, because it allows several birds to feed at once. You’ll also find tube-type birdfeeders that are good if you don’t have a lot of time. You generally don’t have to refill the tube for several days. Such tubes are also pretty to look at—as you can see all of the birdfeed. You could even make your own birdfeeder. Try attaching a teacup to the top of a long pole. The most important thing is that you get out there and feed the birds. “I got hooked on bird feeding when my dad challenged me to identify as many birds as possible in our bird feeders,” says Cole. “I’ve done the same thing with my kids. My 10-year-old daughter is now journaling about birds in a journal my dad gave her. She loves feeding the birds and identifying them, as well as noting interesting things about them.” Julie Bawden-Davis is a garden writer and master gardener, who since 1985 has written for publications such as Organic Gardening, The American Gardener, Wildflower, Better Homes and Gardens and The Los Angeles Times. She is the author of 10 books, including Reader’s Digest Flower Gardening, Fairy Gardening, The Strawberry Story Series, and Indoor Gardening the Organic Way, and is the founder of HealthyHouseplants.com. Her backyard is a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.