Making and crafts

Make a pine cone bird feeder

Spread fat on a pine cone, roll it in birdseed and hang it outside to watch the birds.

Who might enjoy it: People who enjoy watching birds from a window, spending time outside or feeding the wildlife in a garden. A good fit for anyone who likes a hands-on job that leads to something to watch.

Setup: About 10 minutes
Activity: 15–30 minutes
Cost: Low cost
Mess: Some mess
Where: At a table, seated-friendly, outdoors
Help: Hands-on help

Materials: 7 everyday things, listed below

Start activity

What you need

A large, open, dry pine cone
Vegetable shortening, or peanut butter if nobody has a nut allergy
Wild birdseed in a shallow dish
A blunt knife or spoon for spreading
String or garden twine, about 18 inches
Newspaper or a tray to work on
Wet wipes or a damp cloth

No need to buy anything special

No pine cone? Use a toilet paper tube or a slice of stale bread with a hole for the string.
No shortening? Lard or suet also hold seed well and contain no nuts.
No birdseed? Unsalted oats or raisins work for many garden birds.

What to do

Cover the table and set out the pine cone, the fat and the dish of seed.
Tie the string around the top of the pine cone. The helper can do this.
Spread fat into the gaps of the cone with the spoon or knife.
Roll the cone in the dish of seed together, pressing it in.
Sprinkle any bare patches with more seed by hand.
Choose a branch or hook that can be seen from a window or chair.
Hang the feeder there together, or let them watch while you hang it.
Sit by the window and see which birds arrive, if you like.

It is okay to stop or change it

It is fine to stop once the cone has a little seed on it. The birds will not mind. Hang it as it is, or leave it on a tray and finish another day.

Make it easier or different

Make it easier: The helper spreads the fat first. The only job is rolling the cone in seed, or sprinkling seed on with fingers.
Seated: Make the whole feeder at the table, then hang it outside a window that can be seen from a favorite chair.
Less to see, hear or touch: Wear thin gloves or use a spoon to press seed on, so hands stay clean and the fat is never touched.
With children: A child does the rolling and sprinkling while the older adult chooses the spot and names the birds that visit.
For a group: Make one feeder each and hang them all on the same tree, then watch together from indoors.

Safety

Peanut butter can cause a severe allergic reaction. Ask about nut allergies first, and use vegetable shortening if anyone is unsure.
Birdseed is not food for people, and small seeds can be a choking risk. Supervise if anything might be put in the mouth.
Keep any knife blunt, or use a spoon. Wash hands after handling seed and fat.
Hang the feeder from the ground or a stable step, never a chair or ladder. Keep paths clear outdoors to prevent falls.
Pine cones collected outdoors can have sharp scales and sap. Choose dry, open ones and check them first.

These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.

A pine cone feeder is a short, hands-on job with a result you can keep watching. Hanging it where it can be seen from a chair gives you both a reason to sit by the window together over the next few days.