Earth Day Crafts: Grasshoppers, Butterflies and Bird Feeders

Looking for an easy Earth Day craft using recycled products? 

We have two easy crafts you can do to celebrate Earth Day with your children this month: a recycled bird feeder and popsicle stick butterflies and grasshoppers. Both crafts are easy for children of all ages and you can use items from around the house while contributing back to Mother Earth. 

I made this craft with Alex Worstell and Meteorologist Adam Olivier on one of my appearances on Good Day Acadiana. I still have the bird feeder hanging in our yard, although it's a bit weather beaten, it is still feeding the birds that come to visit.  If four grown adults had this much fun making these bird feeders, then imagine what fun you would have with your kiddos! 

This easy to make bird feeder is made entirely with recycled cartons and materials you already have around the house. It is the perfect spring project for kids! we had several options to choose from for our birdfeeders at home, mostly used coffee creamer containers, both plastic and cardboard. But you can also use a plastic water bottle if that is all you have. I promise the birds will love it! 

Image by Tracie Ysaguire

Recycled Bird Feeder Craft

What you need: 

• Empty cartons, plastic or cardboard 
• Crafting razor or knife
• Scissors
• Yarn or string
• Paint, brushes, and other small decorative items
• Birdseed
• Clean up supplies 

 Instructions:

  Have an adult cut out the sides of the carton. The choice is up to you how many sides you would like to cut out — you can cut out one, two, three, or all four sides. 

  Now it’s time to decorate! Get creative and have fun! Use paint or markers that will hold up to the weather.

  Poke holes in the top of the carton, then string the yarn through the holes. You made need to use a paper clip or other small object to add weight to the string so it doesn't pull through the hole in the top.

  Fill the container will birdseed.

  Hang in a spot outside.

  Wait for the birds to enjoy! 

Image by Tracie Ysaguire

Popsicle Stick Butterflies and Grasshoppers  

What you need: 

• Popsicle sticks
• Glue and tape
• Scissors
• Construction paper
• Pipe cleaners 
• Paint or markers 
• Clean up supplies 

Instructions for the grasshoppers

🦗Take 3 popsicle sticks and paint or color them. We used green but remember, you can create whatever you would like! There are no rules for being creative! Let them dry.

🦗Next, glue the sticks in a triangle shape. Let them dry. 

🦗While your grasshopper is drying, get your scissors and cut out a tail and a head. You will glue these on the grasshopper. 

🦗Cut a pipe cleaner into smaller pieces to use for the feet and antennae. Now it’s time to decorate!

🦗Glue your head and tail to your grasshopper. Then, take your pieces of pipe cleaner and wrap them around the bottom popsicle stick of the grasshopper for feet. Voila! 

🦗You can use some of your string from your bird feeder to hang these inside. 

Instructions for the butterflies 

🦋You will be using one popsicle stick for this craft. You can paint it or use markers to decorate however you like. Let your popsicle stick dry. 

🦋Next, cut out some wings from your construction paper. They can be any shape or design you choose. 

🦋Get your popsicle stick and glue on your paper wings. On the back of your butterfly, we found that if you add a long piece of pipe cleaner it serves as handle so you can finish your craft with out getting too messy. And you can "fly" your new butterfly creation around the house too! Let your wings and pipe cleaner on the back dry. (You can also use a piece of scotch tape to help hold it in place.)

🦋Next you want to make your antennae for your butterfly. Take a pipe cleaner and cut it in half. Curl the tops and then leave a longer piece at the bottom. You will glue the longer piece of the pipe cleaner to the back of your butterfly. (Again, tape comes in handy to keep it in place.) 

🦋Now that your butterfly is dry, you can add your decorations. From macaroni noodles to pipe cleaners, this is the part where you decide how you want to decorate your butterfly. You can add glitter, cut shapes or add stickers on your wings, or paint and/or color your wings. It is totally up to you! We also added a set of googly eyes to our butterfly. 

Watch our past crafting segments with Alex Worstell on Good Day Acadiana on their You Tube Channel.