Small Memories

Birds Love Tree Decorations Too!

We usually think about decorating trees during the Winter holidays but Spring is the perfect time to decorate a tree outdoors! No, I’m not talking about dragging out the lights and ornaments. This tree decorating project is literally for the birds and is a great way to start teaching your child about backyard birding!

You’ll need:

• cotton string (I recommend about 2+ feet)
• a plastic canvas needle for little hands (I have used a bobby pin.)
• a box of whole grain cereal o’s (I use cheerios)
• small pieces of fresh fruit such as: grapes, melon bits, cherries, apple chunks, cherry tomatoes, etc.

Instructions:

• Put some of the cereal in one bowl, put the fruit in another bowl.
• Tie an unsharpened pencil (or item of your choice) to one end of the string to keep little hands from losing the items on the string.
• Thread the string on the needle or through the bobby pin.
• Grab a piece of cereal or fruit and thread it onto the string.
• When you’re finished stringing the food, tie the ends of the string together to make a circle.
• Take the decorations outside and find a bush in front of a window (so you have a good view) and drape the string over the bush.

Notes: You can also drape the food loop over the end of a small limb if the view would be better. You may want to only put a few pieces of food on the string at first until the birds find it. It’s a good idea to keep a close check on the string and replace older pieces of fruit at least every 2-3 days, depending on your climate. In warmer climates, I suggest every 2-3 days.

When you do this with your child, you can teach them more than just about birds. For instance:

Stringing The Food

• Small motor skills - Picking up the food with fingers, stringing the food
• Eye-hand coordination - Putting the needle in a specific place on the food
• Numbers - Count each item put on the string
• Sequencing - Put the items on in a pattern…cherry, grape, cherry, grape, etc
• Colors - Name the color of the food, talk about other things that are that color, spell the color of the food, etc.
• Ordinal Position - What went on first, second, third, etc.?
• Senses - How does each piece of food taste, smell, look, feel, sound?
• and the list goes on…

You can even make a tradition of skipping around a bush or tree after checking the food string each day. (This gets in gross motor skills too. ) The possibilities for learning are endless!

Go have some fun decorating for the birds.

More Resources:

Here is one of our designs that will be great to encourage your kids to continue backyard birding. You can see this same design on other products in our shop by clicking on the link below.

I Feed Birds! -Infant/Toddler T-Shirt

Have Fun!

Put Some Spring In The Air
By Jemetha Clark

March may have come in like a lion but springtime is fast approaching; a time of year when the stark winter landscape gives way to an explosion of color and fragrance blooms in abundance. The fresh green aromas of grasses and leaves are punctuated with bright floral fragrances, and juicy citrus fruits ripen on their bushes.

Daffodils herald the dawn of spring with their bright color and sweet succulent aroma. Some varieties even begin blooming towards the end of winter. The daffodil is considered an auspicious flower by the Chinese who display it for Chinese New Years celebrations.

Hyacinth is rich honey-sweet bloom from the Mediterranean and Middle East. The hyacinth flower is a traditional Persian symbol for the arrival of spring and is part of the Persian New Year celebration which occurs on the Spring Equinox.

Lemon is a bright and enlivening aroma, sharp and balancing. It is an uplifting scent by itself or lends a fresh top note to fragrance blends. The scent of lemon is also known to ward of insects.

Roses are embraced by cultures around the world and have become symbols for love, beauty, innocence and purity. The voluptuous sweet fragrance of the rose is soothing, stimulating, and romantic; the true Queen of Flowers.

Oranges are the sweet siblings in the citrus family, crisp and refreshing but not tart. Varieties run from sweet and juicy to bitter-sweet and everything from the rind, flowers, and leaves can be used for fragrances. The Orange flower, also known as neroli, has a rich, warm, and sweet aroma. Orange-derived aromas are anti-depressants and can be mildly sedative.

Violets, symbols of purity and modesty, have a delicate and sweet aroma. The flower modestly guards its beautiful aroma, making pure violet essence expensive to the point of extinction. Fortunately the aroma has mimicked with great success.

Embrace the coming of spring and enjoy the wide variety of wonderful fragrances that the season brings.

J.K. Clark -

The Fifth Sense - http://www.thefifthsense.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jemetha_Clark
http://EzineArticles.com/?Put-Some-Spring-In-The-Air&id=487672

More Resources:

This article reminded me of all the backyard gardening that will be going on soon. Here is an item that will brighten any room and your yard if you choose to replant them for next year. Order from our Family Favorites Shop now and bring home a room of sunshine. ~ Kit