The Country School is an independent, coeducational, Pre-K through 8 school founded in 1934.
Right Start Blog
Teaching Our Children About Kindness in Nature
Kindergarten teacher Patti Godlee offers suggestions for winter reading and a fun project that's for the birds.
As the winter winds begin to blow and a chill is in the air, it's time to remember our feathered friends who find it a challenge to find food. Making a bird seed wreath is a wonderful way to teach your child about kindness in nature. Teaching your child that when people and animals cannot do for themselves, it is thoughtful and kind to lend a helping hand. It is proven that performing kind acts makes us happier and more fulfilled in our lives, and teaching kindness at an early age helps children to understand that we all have a responsibility to look out for one another to make the world a better place. Why not start by making a bird seed wreath and spending some quality time together?
BIRD SEED WREATH
Ingredients:
1/3 slightly rounded cup cornstarch
1/2 cup warm water
3 T light corn syrup
1 and 1/2 package unflavored gelatin
4 cups bird food (seeds, peanuts, berries, dried fruit)
1 bundt pan (or another mold)
Directions (read thoroughly before starting):
Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside. On stove over medium heat, whisk gelatin and water until dissolved. Whisk in corn syrup and cornstarch next; keep whisking until there are no lumps. It will form a thick paste. Make sure mixture is thick before moving on to the next step. If it's slow to thicken, allow it to cool slightly.
Add 4 cups bird food to thickened mixture and mix well. Spoon into your bundt pan or mold. Spray the back of a metal spoon with cooking spray and press firmly down on mixture so it is well packed. Place in refrigerator until set, about 1/2 hour. It will be hard to the touch when set. Carefully reemove from mold onto a baking sheet. Let dry for a couple of days, turning occasionally. Tie a bow for hanging, but it should be thick enough to support the weight of the wreath. Twine or thin wire will cut through the wreath.
BIRD SEED WREATH
Ingredients:
1/3 slightly rounded cup cornstarch
1/2 cup warm water
3 T light corn syrup
1 and 1/2 package unflavored gelatin
4 cups bird food (seeds, peanuts, berries, dried fruit)
1 bundt pan (or another mold)
Directions (read thoroughly before starting):
Spray bundt pan with cooking spray and set aside. On stove over medium heat, whisk gelatin and water until dissolved. Whisk in corn syrup and cornstarch next; keep whisking until there are no lumps. It will form a thick paste. Make sure mixture is thick before moving on to the next step. If it's slow to thicken, allow it to cool slightly.
Add 4 cups bird food to thickened mixture and mix well. Spoon into your bundt pan or mold. Spray the back of a metal spoon with cooking spray and press firmly down on mixture so it is well packed. Place in refrigerator until set, about 1/2 hour. It will be hard to the touch when set. Carefully reemove from mold onto a baking sheet. Let dry for a couple of days, turning occasionally. Tie a bow for hanging, but it should be thick enough to support the weight of the wreath. Twine or thin wire will cut through the wreath.
When your wreath is finished, find a spot to hang it, and sit back and enjoy watching the birds! While you are curled up with a mug of hot chocolate, take the opportunity to read a children’s book about winter. Some of my favorites are The Mitten, Snowmen at Christmas, The Biggest Snowman Ever, Summer in the Woods, A Snowy Day, and Owl Moon. Or, get a bird-watching book that identifies the variety of birds that show up to feed on the seed wreath. But most of all, enjoy winter together while spreading a little kindess to our feathered friends.
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