How to Make a Water Bottle Bird Feeder Craft

Beat quarantine boredom and make your own water bottle bird feeder craft with the kids. It’s easy, fun, and you probably already have everything you need to get started.

It’s been a long winter with no end in sight for quarantine restrictions. We’ve had to get creative with how we keep busy with so much time indoors together. Running out to the store for craft supplies, games, and activities isn’t as easy as it was in the past. This bird feeder craft is great because you probably already have the items required, so no need to leave the house.

We actually made our bird feeders back in the springtime when we just started quarantine. Now that it’s wintertime, families are even more in need of fun activities to keep busy (and sane). Running to Michael’s was not an option, so we got crafty with what we had on hand at the time. We wanted something fun and easy to do at home with the kids, so we made bird feeders out of water bottles!

The Perfect Boredom Buster: Water Bottle Bird Feeder

We grabbed a few water bottles out of the recycling bin (hey, you say gross, I say it’s good for the environment and gave the kids an amusing challenge). I brought out my craft bin and told the kids to choose whatever they wanted to decorate their bird houses. They gravitated immediately to my washi tape, which turned out to be a pretty good material to use.

You don’t need washi tape though. You can use permanent markers, or paint, or even just wrap string around the water bottle. Whatever you have at home, find a way to use that and make it work. Snap a picture of it and tag me on Instagram so I can see what you came up with. I may even share your post to my stories (with your permission first, of course).

The boys and I started thinking about how to make a bird feeder out of a water bottle. The kids brainstormed what they wanted their bird feeders to look like and what designs would make the most sense. They decided that they wanted the opening to be big enough for birds to stick their head in. The boys realized that the opening couldn’t be right at the bottom of the bottle because then there wouldn’t be enough room to fill it up with seeds. They both wanted to add a stick for birds to perch on and each marked spots for those.

Our Mess- Free (and Porcupine- Friendly) Bird Feeders

We found the washi tape to be super easy and mess- free. I’d consider it a way better option than paint. Just cut off your piece of tape and stick it right on. And washi tape comes in such cute designs (I found this really good deal on Amazon if you’re looking for some cute and low- priced washi tape).

Joey was determined to build a squirrel- proof bird feeder so he went a little overboard with the sticks. He wanted to create a bird feeder that only a porcupine would love. I persuaded him to go easy with the sticks as his bird feeder started to look more like a weapon than an afternoon craft. In Joey’s defense, his bird feeder did last longer than Tommy’s. Do what you will with that information.

If you’re looking at the images of our bird feeders, you may be wondering why there are blue straws on one of them. No reason. It’s just one of the things we had hanging around in our house, so it ended up being used in our craft. Whatever you have, use that.

Bird Feeder Craft Materials

Of course, you don’t need to use the items we used for our bird feeders. If you have popsicle sticks, use those for your sticks. Or why not use actual sticks? Have some ribbon or pom poms hanging around in the bottom of your craft bin? Stick them on your bird feeder. I can’t promise longevity on any of these items, but we’re just in it for the fun.

And for the record, our bird feeders lasted through the majority of a very stormy spring. The parts that weren’t eaten by squirrels, that is (sorry Joey).

How to Make a Water Bottle Bird Feeder

Use scissors or a box cutter to cut out an opening in the middle of the side of your water bottle (adults only).

Insert bamboo sticks into your water bottle to serve as a perch below the opening (use a nail to poke the hole if the stick doesn’t push through easily).