If you were not at the Keeping Georgia Wild Festival or did not get a bingo card from our booth, you’re in luck!

We have it for you right here: KID’S SUMMER BINGO CARD

We made this bingo card to give kids something awesome to work on throughout the summer instead of watching TV all summer.  

On the bingo card, there are squares that get kids exploring outdoors and others that let you build something.  All crafts can be made with household items and may need a parent’s supervision.  

Rules 

  • The goal is to complete squares until you get 5 in a row. 
  • “Best Summer Ever Challenge” square is a free space. 
  • Turn in a completed board by August 1st to be entered into a drawing. 
  • Complete the whole board to have three extra entries.
  • Get your parent to turn in your name with a picture of your completed board.  
    • Email us at info@gwf.org
    • Send us a DM 
      • Facebook: Georgia Wildlife Federation
      • Instagram: gawildlifefederation  

Read below for the craft instructions. 

Pinecone Bird Feeders 

Materials
  • Pinecones 
  • Popsicle Sticks 
  • Twine 
  • Bird seed 
    • Make sure to find a bird seed for birds that usually live around your house. 
  • Peanut Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter or Honey 
  • 2 Small bowls: 1 for peanut butter, 1 for bird seed 
  • Cookie Sheet lined with parchment paper 
  • Paper towels for clean up 
Instructions

Step 1. Collecting and Cleaning Pinecones

  • Go outside and find a few pinecones that you want to use.
  • Gently shake off any dirt and pine needles. Also, take off any loose scales.

Step 2. Make your Workspace  

  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper to keep your working area contained. 
  • Keep paper towels on standby for clean up! 

Step 3. Tie the String Around the Pinecone 

  • Cut a piece of string or twine to about 8 inches.  
  • Tie a knot around the top of your pinecone and tighten it. 
  • Tie a loop with the excess string to hang the bird feeder when done. 

Step 4. Coat the Pinecone with Peanut Butter 

  • Add a dollop of peanut butter, honey, etc. to a small bowl.
  • Use a popsicle stick or butter knife to spread peanut butter on each scale of the pinecone. 
  • Make sure to fill in all large gaps and remember the more peanut butter, the more seeds you can add. 

Step 5. Roll the Pinecone in Bird Seed

  • Pour bird seed into a small bowl. 
  • Dip the pinecone in the bowl.
  • Press the sides of the pinecone until bird seed covers all peanut butter, honey, etc. 

Step 6. Hang the Pinecone Outside 

  • Tie the string to a branch in a tree or bush.
  • Make sure to hang the pinecone in a safe place away from predators.  You may need to get a parent to help hang it. 

DIY Rain Gauge 

Materials 
  • Clear plastic bottle 
  • Scissors 
  • Ruler 
  • Small Rocks 
  • Sharpie or permanent marker 
Instructions  
  1. Cut the top section off your clear bottle.  
  2. Use a ruler to mark every ½” starting from a couple inches from the bottom of the bottle.
  3. Place a handful of small rocks in the bottom of the bottle for weight. 
  4. Fill the bottle with water to the 0” mark you just made. This calibrates your gauge. 
  5. Invert the top of the bottle into the rain gauge to act as a funnel.  
  6. Place your rain gauge on a flat surface outside where rain can get caught. 
  7. The next time it rains, go outside and record rainfall. Start a journal and keep up with rainfall throughout the summer. 
  8. When you’re done using the rain gauge, don’t forget to recycle it! 

DIY Recycling Container 

Materials 
  • Cardboard Box, any size 
  • Scissors 
  • Colored duct tape 
  • Colored/patterned masking tape 
  • Markers 
  • Stickers 
Instructions 

Step 1. Prepare your Box 

  • Use your colored duct tape and scissors to cover the outside of your box. This will make your decorations stand out and keep the box sturdy.  
  • You may want to add a second layer of tape to make sure all markings on the box are covered. 

Step 2. Time to Decorate 

  • Draw on and add any stickers you want to your box to make it yours! 
  • Let your imagination run wild when it comes to this part. 

Step 3. Time to Recycle 

  • Fill your box up with recyclable items (cardboard boxes, plastic, glass, aluminum)  

Step 4. If you want to go a little further… 

  • Repeat the steps above to create a box for each type of material you can recycle. 
  • This way you don’t have to separate out your items when you help your parents take it to a recycling center.  

Build Your Own Bird’s Nest 

Materials 
  • Paper Plate 
  • Scissors 
  • Twigs, grass, leaves, moss, or any other items you can find outside 
  • String or yarn 
Instructions  

Step 1. Collect your Materials from Outside 

  • Collect any twigs, leaves, etc. that you think you could use in your nest. 

Step 2. Start Building your Nest 

  • On your paper plate, start placing twigs around the plate to create the base of your nest. 
  • There is no right or wrong way to do this, but the base structure can be tricky to make sure your nest won’t fall. 
  • You can weave your twigs together, add leaves and moss in gaps; really use your imagination. 

Step 3. Add your “Bird Eggs” 

  • Cut up pieces of your string or yarn whatever size you like. 
  • Ball up your pieces and place them in your nest to act as eggs. 
  • Is your nest holding up?  

This nest is not meant to be used as a real bird’s nest but to think through the nest building process. It can be difficult for birds to find strong enough materials and construct a nest that can protect eggs and birds in it.  

Make Your Own Compost Bin  

Materials 
  • Empty 2-liter water bottle 
  • Sharp knife 
  • Nail 
  • Shredded Newspaper 
  • Dirt (from your yard, not potting soil) 
  • Old leaves  
  • Compost materials (grass, vegetable and fruit scraps) 
  • Flat dish to hold composter 
  • Spray bottle for water 
  • Old kitchen towel 
Instructions 

Step 1. Prepare the Bottle 

  • Peel off any labels that are on your 2-liter bottle. 
  • Get your parent to help cut the top of the bottle. 
  • Cut off about 1-2 inches below the neck of the bottle. 
  • Set the top aside. 
  • Get your parent to punch 8 to 10 air and drainage holes in the bottom of the bottle. 

Step 2. Create your Compost Starter 

  • Put the bottle on your flat dish. 
  • Fill it up about halfway with dirt, shredded newspaper, and old leaves. 
  • Use the spray bottle to dampen the compost starter. 

Step 3. Add in Compost Items 

  • As your parents cook and items come available… 
  • Add in vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells 
  • Do not add in meat or dairy products 
  • Turn your bottle top upside down in the open top of the bottle to act as a funnel. 

Step 4. Maintain your Compost Bin  

  • Place your compost bottle in full sunlight, inside or outside.  
  • Use the spray bottle to dampen your compost each day. 
  • You can place an old kitchen towel over your bottle after spraying it each day. 
  • Remember to check it each day and watch the changes as the contents decompose.  
  • Once your compost has turned to soil, you can transfer the soil to a pot and plant a new flower or seed in it! 

Predicting the Weather with Pinecones 

Pinecones open their scales when they want to disperse seeds. When it rains or is humid, the pinecone wants to protect and keep the seeds dry.  

If you place a pinecone on your porch on a humid day, the scales will stay up and closed. If it is a drier day, the pinecone scales will open to disperse seeds. 

Check your pinecone from day to day to see if you can tell the difference in humidity with the scales.  

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