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6 Easy Bird Feeders for Children to Make
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6 Easy Bird Feeders for Children to Make

6 Easy Bird Feeders for Children to Make

By filling bird feeders with bird seed, children can give birds a regular food source over colder months when nature's food sources are depleted.Once summer has gone, observant children will begin to notice a change in the behaviour of wild birds. Many of our feathered friends will begin migrating to warmer locations, evidenced by often noisy flocks heading south overhead. Those that stay in the UK, like robins and blackbirds, will soon find that all the wild berries, seeds, and grubs have been eaten — food becomes scarce as remaining supplies disappear in the run-up to winter. In view of this, wild birds will become more reliant on good-natured humans to ensure they still have enough food to eat over the colder months.

Luckily, families — and even children — are in a great position to help! By coming together to make and fill simple bird feeders, you will provide birds with a regular food source that will sustain them during a time when nature’s food sources are depleted. And, if children and families keep up the good work by refilling bird feeders with seeds and suchlike every day, they may even find they get to know some real ‘regulars’ over the winter. With all this in mind, today’s guide outlines 6 ways children and their families can construct easy-to-make bird feeders to help our feathered friends. They’re fun, creative, and are a wonderfully good thing for little ones to do for wildlife.

Peanut Garland Bird Feeders

• Difficulty level: simple!  • Fun level: great fun!

A monkey nut garland bird feeder is quick and easy to make.This simple type of bird feeder is quick and easy to make. Simply thread string or gardening twine through the outer husks of unroasted monkey nuts to form a garland. Holes can be made in the monkey nut husks using a small matchstick. Alternatively, if using something sharp like a darning needle, an adult should make the holes so that little ones don’t hurt themselves. Once a whole chain of monkey nuts is in line along the string, the ends can be tied between twigs, branches, or bushes, so the nuts dangle in a stretched arc. Blue tits will love pecking at the husks to get to the nuts inside!

Apple Bird Feeder

• Difficulty level: super-simple!  • Fun level: not the most exciting, but simple even for toddlers.

Apple bird feeders are by far the most simple for children to accomplish.Apple bird feeders are by far the most simple to accomplish. In essence, they are simply an apple either dangling from a tree, bush, or fence, or are held high in the air from underneath by a vertical bamboo cane pushed into the ground. Whether the apple is dangled by string or held aloft by a cane, it’s best to expose some of the apple by removing some of the outer skin, so birds have a weak spot to begin feeding on. Check the apple daily to ensure it does not go mouldy; discard if so – mould can be dangerous to birds. (Adults should also supervise* children to keep them safe around hazards and other possible dangers, of course).

Milk/Juice Carton Bird Feeder

• Difficulty level: intermediate.  • Fun level: super fun, especially if decorated!

Milk or juice carton bird feeders are extra fun because little ones can decorate them!These bird feeders are extra fun because little ones can decorate them! You’ll first need an empty juice or milk carton. With help from an adult, rectangular or arc-shaped flaps should be cut on 3 or 4 sides of the carton, ensuring the bottom of the rectangle or arc is not cut. Crease and fold the flaps out at that lowest point, as shown in our example. The flaps provide a landing platform for birds, as well as access to the inside. That’s where the birdseed will go when the feeder is complete. After painting the exterior with a nice design and leaving it to dry, the carton bird feeder can be suspended by a string. This can be attached at the top, for example, by trapping it with the carton’s lid. Fill with birdseed to the level of the open flaps once suspended in place.

Plastic Bottle Bird Feeders

• Difficulty level: intermediate.  • Fun level: great fun!

Plastic water bottle bird feeder with spoon for birds to land on. This plastic water bottle bird feeder is hung more like a cradle, with access to the feed from the top. This water bottle bird feeder has a folded-down flap at the front for the birds to land on.

These use a similar approach to the carton feeders, although they are not so suited to painting. Empty plastic water bottles can be used as bird feeders in a variety of ways, as demonstrated in our examples above. As with the cartons, they’re suspended by a string. Two use one or more holes and flaps like the juice carton feeder above, while the other suspends the bottle on its side, as shown in the second image. These are great for bird feed or water, so long as they’re regularly checked and cleaned (under adult supervision) when needed. Please note: due to the type of plastic used, children should be careful of sharp edges. A nail file can be used to round off such edges, which will also protect birds. Adults also need to supervise* children and be mindful of possible choking hazards with many of these bird feeders.

Pine Cone Bird Feeders

• Difficulty level: intermediate.  • Fun level: the most fun!

Pine cone bird feeders are great fun for children to make!Pine cone bird feeders are great fun for children! You first need to forage outdoors for a large pine cone. Ideally, it needs to have its many splines open, although that’s not critical. Children should smear peanut† butter all over the pine cone, ensuring it gets pushed into the cone’s many crevices. The whole thing should then be rolled around in a bowl of bird seeds, which will then stick to the sticky covering that was just applied. The completed pine cone bird feeder can then be suspended by string outdoors, somewhere suitable for the birds (usually at least 1.5m off the ground but under the protection of a tree canopy or similar so that feeding birds avoid attack from predators like sparrowhawks).

Seed Cake Bird Feeders

• Difficulty level: intermediate. • Fun level: great fun!

Seed cake bird feeders are a firm favourite for children to make.Seed cake bird feeders are a firm favourite for children to make. They’ll need some small, empty pots — plastic flowerpots would be perfect. With adult help, attach a string or garden twine to the base of the pot(s), for example, by threading it through the flowerpot drainage holes, and secure with a knot. Ensure that most of the string is left on the outside of the pot. Next children will need to mix bird seed in a suitable bowl with something to bind it together. For this part, adults will need to help by melting some lard† or beef suet† on the stove for children. They will then need to supervise to ensure it’s cool enough before children have access to it. Once mixed with bird seeds into a thick, gloopy mixture, children should fill the pots. A wooden spoon is perfect for the purpose. Once the mixture has cooled and set, the filled pots can then be turned upside down and dangled somewhere suitable for birds outdoors, for example, suspended high above the ground from a tree branch or on the side of a bush.

Teach Patience

TIP: Children will need to be Patient! Like many wild creatures, birds will at first be suspicious of anything ‘new’ on their territory. So, they’re likely to wait a while before they pluck up the courage to land and try out the new bird feeders. Funnily enough, though, we’ve noticed that sometimes the bravest birds to first try them out are amongst the smallest and cutest — blue tits!

Bird Food Considerations

Bird Seed Suggestions

There are lots of different seed mixes out there and each will attract a different range of birds.There are lots of different seed mixes available and each will attract a different range of birds. Our personal favourites are sunflower hearts, which are available in most supermarkets, garden centres, and online, and robin peanut cakes, which are similarly available. We’ve found them both to be popular food sources, attracting birds like robins, blue tits, great tits, blackbirds, doves, pigeons, nuthatches, starlings, and more. A small amount of grated cheddar cheese is also very popular, especially amongst robins and blackbirds, but must not be allowed to go mouldy (mouldy cheeses are dangerous for birds). We suggest avoiding mealworms, as each represents a little life lost unnecessarily. In any case, we love minibeasts!

†Peanut Butter, Suet, & Lard Essentials

  • If feeding peanuts, use unroasted ones and, to ensure they don’t harm birds, they must be clear of any fungus (usually in the form of dusty spotting on the actual peanuts). If using monkey nuts, break a few open to check.
  • Peanut butter should be natural i.e., free of salt, flavouring, sugar, and palm oil.
  • If feeding suet, ensure it’s proper beef suet, which is hard and crumbly, not soft and malleable.
  • If feeding lard, it should be pure lard, which remains hard even in warmer weather.
  • Change bird water regularly and clean feeders, bowls, and baths.
  • RSPB guidelines are also available here, and ensure children exercise good hygiene practices.*

You May Also Like …

If you’re little one likes birds, he/she may also be interested in our free bird-spotting poster, available here.

Nature at Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green

Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bolton & ManchesterChildren get lots of opportunities to spend time around nature and benefit from outdoor play at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green. We’re very lucky to have unusually extensive grounds where children can explore wild zones, nature, and many other outdoor opportunities. Both nature and outdoor play are essential for every child to experience regularly — both are incredibly good for them — so we hope today’s bird feeder activity encourages an even greater interest for our little ones. It will also mean children and families are doing their bit to help birds at a time when food is becoming less abundant in the wild.

If you’d like to explore a possible nursery place for your baby, toddler, or child under five at Little Acorns in Hindley Green, do get in touch. We’d love to tell and show you more — please choose an option:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

Little Acorns is a nursery in Hindley Green near Wigan, and, as such, may also provide a convenient choice to families nearby in Bolton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Westhoughton, Atherton, Leigh, Bickershaw, and Tyldesley.

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* Health & Safety Considerations

Always supervise little ones outdoors and when making bird feeders. Encourage good hygiene practices, and be aware of allergens (e.g., nuts) if applicable to you/your child.

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Apply NOW for Funded Nursery Places This September – For Eligible Working Families
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Apply NOW for Funded Nursery Places This September

For Eligible Working Families

Apply NOW for Funded Nursery Places This September (For Eligible Working Families)

We were delighted to share news of the planned expansion of childcare funding for children of eligible working families in recent months. And now, the latest stage of that free childcare expansion is virtually here! It means that eligible children aged from 9 months to 4 years will be able to access 1140 hours per year of FREE* childcare. The final expansion will be the first time that children aged 9 months to 2 years will be included in the eligible group. It will be available from the 1st of September 2025, and, at the time of writing, that’s just around the corner.

Even closer, though, is the application deadline! Eligible working families have until August 31 to apply for funding for the term starting in September. If you intend to apply but miss the deadline, you will miss out on childcare funding for the whole of that term. Today’s guide explains everything you need to know if you’re an eligible working family and are considering applying for a funded nursery place for your child for this September. The same rules apply whether you are applying to Little Acorns Nursery, Hindley Green, or elsewhere.

Calendar Calendar

Apply by 31st August 2025

to Get Your Childcare Funding Code for September

Childcare providers require a special code from successful applicants in order to provide Government-funded childcare. Without the code, the childcare cannot be provided for free. Families would then need to either pay for their childcare or apply for a subsequent term. Later terms also have their own deadlines, and the same kind of rules apply in each case. From the standpoint of the funding scheme for eligible working families, terms begin on the 1st of the month for September, January, and April. The funding application deadline in each case is the last day of the preceding month. So, for September funding, the application deadline is the 31st of August 2025. For the January term, it’s the 31st of December. Lastly, for the April term, the application deadline is the 31st of March.

Childcare providers require a valid funding code no later than the very start of the term in order to provide the free childcare hours during that term.

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The Key Eligibility Factors

Our existing guide explains the key rules for eligibility for childcare funding for working families. The two key rules, though, are that the child’s parent(s) — or the parent and their partner if they have one — must each earn:

  1. No more than £100,000 per annum for the current tax year;
  2. No less than the equivalent of 16 hours per week at the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage during the next 3 months.

Click the bold, green link above for much more detail.

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Apply for the Childcare Funding NOW!

As we said above, time is of the essence if you are eligible and would like your child to begin using the free childcare hours from the start of the September term. To apply for the funded hours, you’ll first need a ‘Childcare Account’ on the Gov.uk website if you don’t already have one. Then, you’ll need to enter a few details. Learn more and begin your childcare funding application here.

Remember: you need to apply no later than the 31st of August 2025 if you would like your child to start using their free childcare hours from the beginning of September.

After applying online, most applicants will discover right away whether their application has been approved. However, in some circumstances, it can take as long as a week¹. It’s therefore all the more important to apply as early as you can, so long as your child is at least 23 weeks old when you apply.

1. (Contact the Childcare Service helpline on 0300 123 4097 between 8 am and  6 pm on any working weekday if you have not received your application decision within a week. Call charges may apply.)

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Give Your Childcare Provider the All-Important Code

If your application has been approved, you will receive an email confirming that your funding code is available via your Childcare Account. Log in to the account to get this. Give the code to your childcare provider without delay, along with your National Insurance (N.I.) number and the date of birth of your child.

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What You’ll Get

If your funding application is successful, your child will be entitled to receive 1140 hours of free childcare each year that they remain eligible. The government funding will be paid directly to your child’s childcare provider — so long, of course, as you/your child remain eligible. Eligibility will need to be reconfirmed via your Childcare Account, on time, every 3 months in order for childcare codes to be valid.

“Eligibility will need to be reconfirmed via your Childcare Account, on time, every 3 months.”

Stretching Funded Childcare Provision

Traditionally, the 1140 childcare hours equate to 30 hours of free childcare per week taken over 38 weeks of the year, with the 38 weeks usually aligning with typical school term-time weeks for your area. However, some childcare providers allow families to ‘stretch’ the free childcare hours over more weeks of the year. This is done simply by using fewer than 30 hours each week, so they can be used over more weeks of the year.

If you are thinking of applying for a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery and would like to stretch your funded childcare hours, please let us know and we’ll endeavour to accommodate you whenever possible.

Good luck with your application! If you are applying for a nursery place at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green, we look forward to welcoming you and your child to the Little Acorns family very soon!

A Weekday Childcare Service in Hindley Green, Near Wigan

Nursery Places for Babies, Toddlers, & Children Under Five

Little Acorns Nursery & Pre-School in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bolton & ManchesterWe hope you found the information above useful and look forward to welcoming new families to our Hindley Green nursery and preschool in the very near future. Whether you are privately funding your childcare or are eligible for government childcare funding, we’d love to welcome you and your child aboard. Why not come and see us — bring your child along! It’s a lovely home-from-home environment with great facilities and a fabulous team that will nurture every child. We’ll really bring out the best in each child and help prepare them well for their onward journey as they head towards school age.

Get in touch with Little Acorns Nursery today. We’ll be delighted to show you and your child around, see how they fit in, and answer any questions that you may have:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

As a high-quality nursery located in Hindley Green, we may also suit local families in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, Bolton and Greater Manchester.

* Please note: Government-funded childcare, including free hours for children of eligible working families, does not usually cover extras including the cost of outings, meals, consumables and any additional childcare hours over and above the funded hours.

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A Guide to April’s National Offer Day for Primary School Places
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A Guide to April’s National Offer Day for Primary School Places

A Guide to April’s National Offer Day for Primary School Places in England

Starting school is a huge milestone for families. If you’re a parent or guardian of a child who will soon reach the age of 3 in the UK, you’ll need to make an application for your child’s primary school very soon. Today’s guide is designed to help you understand just about everything you need to know about the process of obtaining a school place for your child and what to expect on National Offer Day — specifically for primary school places.

Primary School Offers Day: 16 April*

There are two key ‘school offers’ days each year. The first arrives usually on the 1st of March* and is for secondary school places. The second, which we’ll focus on in today’s guide, usually arrives on the 16th of April* each year and pertains to offers for primary school places in the UK.

* The exact date may be slightly later if the usual ‘offer’ date coincides with a public holiday or weekend. In such cases, the offer date will be delayed until the next working day. Note, too, that applying late, by post, or ‘in-year’ (for a start date other than in the September term) is likely to result in offers being received at a later date.

Apply for a Primary School Place at the Right Time

Whether you want your under-five child to start school at 4 or 5 (see below), you should make the application for a school place when they are 3 or, at the very latest, when they have just turned 4.

Should Children Start School at 4 or 5?

Starting Primary School at Age 4

Most children in the UK start in ‘Reception’ year at primary/infant school at the age of 4. This is before the age required by law and usually starts in the September term. For these children, families will need to have applied for their place between September of the previous year and the 15th of January in the year they begin.

Deferring until Age 5

However, children born between the 1st of April and the 31st of August can legally begin school a little later if their parent/guardian/carer so chooses. This could be, for example, if the child’s parents believe the child is not yet ready for the challenges associated with school.

What Does the Law Say About Starting School?

The law states that children reach what’s known as Compulsory School Age in the UK on the 31st of either December, March or August following their fifth birthday (whichever arrives soonest). It’s worth noting, however, that schools and admission authorities have the right to decide whether children starting at five (rather than four) will begin in Reception year one year later than most other children of their age, or skip Reception completely and go straight into Year One with their matching age group. The child’s best interests will affect the decision, including factors like their individual needs and abilities. More information about deferring until five is available here.

Applying for a Primary School Place

You can register an interest directly with your primary school of choice and indeed they can usually give you information about how to apply. However, registering an interest does not guarantee your child a place even if the school is attached to the nursery/preschool your child already attends. Ultimately you normally need to make the formal application through your local authority and this is usually best done online, as outlined below.

To start an application for primary school for your child, go to this Gov.uk address, enter your postcode, and click the green ‘Find’ button. The site will then match you with your local authority. For example, for those near our nursery in Hindley Green near Wigan, it resulted in a button linked to Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council’s ‘Primary School Admissions’ page. This, as per its equivalents for other areas, gives lots of information about applying for a primary school place together with all the appropriate hyperlinks for applications, appeals, further information, and suchlike.

As part of your application, you will have the opportunity to confirm, in order, your topmost preferred primary schools. Subject to there being available spaces, the order of your preferences will be taken into consideration when places are allocated. However, other factors outlined later in this guide are also likely to affect your child’s offer.

Applying Late

If you miss the 15th of January deadline for standard primary school places with a September term start, the local authority’s site will give you access to a ‘late application form’. Note, however, that applying after the 15th of January means your application will be processed after those received on time. The effect this will have on your application is that you will have a lower chance of getting a place at your preferred school — as many places are likely to have been allocated before the local authority came to process your (late) application.

Changing Your Mind

For anyone who changes their mind about their preferred school choice(s), your local authority website will also give you options and guidance. This may include online options but some may also require the use of a late application form which, if used after the 15th of January, may also give you a lower chance of receiving an offer for your child’s preferred school.

Criteria Affecting Primary School Offers

Local authorities will first process applications made on time, so those stand the best chance of success. Late applications will be processed after all the ‘on time’ applications have been allocated places.

Either way, the criteria affecting whether a child receives a primary school place at their preferred school may also include factors like the following:

  • Their home’s proximity to the selected primary school;
  • Whether your child has a sibling already at the school;
  • Whether you, the parent, have worked at the school (2+ years);
  • Whether it’s a faith school matching your child’s religion;
  • Whether the child is eligible for the Pupil Premium or Service Pupil Premium.
  • … and other potential factors.

If, for any reason, your child is not offered a place at any of your preferred primary schools, your local authority will have to offer you a place at an alternative school. This will usually be the closest available school to your child’s home. However, it’s worth noting that such a scenario is quite rare, with only 1.4% of applicants not receiving offers from one of their ‘preferred’ schools in 2023.

Primary School Offers & National Offer Day

The majority of applicants, particularly those who applied on time, will receive primary school offers on National Offer Day, which arrives on 16 April or soon afterwards if that falls on a weekend or public holiday. Those who included an email address as part of their application will receive offers during that day while those who are informed via post may receive offers via 2nd Class post a couple of days or so later. However, some local authorities also allow parents to log into a portal to view primary school offers.

Accepting, Rejecting or Appealing a Primary School Offer

Primary school offer confirmations will include a deadline by which the offer must be accepted if that’s the parent’s intention. Failure to accept an offer by that date may mean that the primary school place is instead offered to someone else, for example, a child on a waiting list for that school (we’ll come to waiting lists shortly).

If you are one of the small proportion of families who did not receive an offer from a preferred primary school, you can appeal the decision and offer confirmations will include details about the appeals process. Learn more about appeals here.  However, it’s usually wise to first accept any offer provided so that, if your appeal is rejected, your child has a school place to fall back on. Doing so should not affect the outcome of your appeal.

Waiting Lists

Waiting lists are an option for those families who:

  • don’t receive an offer for a preferred primary school, or;
  • receive no school offer at all (rare), or;
  • decide they simply want to switch to a different primary school for one reason or another.

To apply to be put on a school’s waiting list, contact your local authority and perhaps also register your interest directly with the school itself, so they are aware. Having an existing school offer/place does not preclude you from going on an alternative school’s waiting list, by the way.

Good Luck from Little Acorns Nursery School, Hindley Green, Wigan

We hope you receive the ideal primary school place for your child when the offer day finally arrives.

Little Acorns Nursery & Preschool in Hindley Green, near Wigan, Bolton & ManchesterLittle Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green is rated as a good childcare provider by Ofsted.

The staff at Little Acorns Nursery in Hindley Green wish all families with children starting primary/infant school the best of luck on primary school offers day. We do hope everyone receives an offer for their preferred school.

We’re convinced that all preschoolers leaving Little Acorns to begin school will have the very best start, having become as ‘school-ready’ as possible during their time with us. This preparation will help them to really hit the ground running from the moment they arrive at school. For tips on how best to prepare your child for starting school, don’t miss our guide Tips for a Smooth Transition to Reception.

Meanwhile, if you have a baby, toddler or preschooler that requires high-quality childcare and a good ‘early years’ education near Hindley Green, Wigan, get in touch:

Apply Today Book a Tour Message Us 01942 259 870

As well as offering a high-quality childcare service in Hindley Green, Wigan, WN2, we are also conveniently located for families in Bickershaw, Leigh, Atherton, Westhoughton, Ince-in-Makerfield, Platt Bridge, Tyldesley, and Bolton.

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