Have you ever sat in your backyard or a nearby park and watched all of the different types of birds native to your area? Now is a great time to start because February is National Bird Feeding Month, which was established in 1994 to encourage people to provide the food (and also water and shelter) that wild birds need to survive during the winter months.

There is more to bird feeding than you would think. There are many different types of wild bird seed available for different birds, different types of wild bird feeders, and some basic tips that should be followed while feeding birds. By doing our part and taking care of our wild birds we can ensure a happy environment and can help wild bird hunger. Furthermore, what do birds eat? Before choosing the type of wild bird food you first want to decide on which type of birds you will want to attract to your backyard.

Most people use black-oil sunflower seeds because they will attract the largest variety of birds to your backyard. These seeds are great because they attract many birds and it is also an easy seed for smaller birds to crack open. Hulled sunflower seeds are similar to the ones mentioned above except the shell has been removed which makes them a little more expensive. If your wanting to attract finches Nyjer thistle seed is what they like the best, however you will need a special feeder for this type of food. Cracked or whole kernel corn will attract many blue jays and other game birds; this feed can also attract other types of animals. You can also buy premium mixes from a store that will attract various types of birds. There are many different types of bird seeds out there so make sure you choose wisely by following those guidelines.

Moving on, after choosing which feed suits you best you next want to choose the best bird feeders to ensure that your wild birds can get to the food that you are offering them. You want to offer a variety of different feeders throughout the yard to ensure that your birds will not be fighting over the food and there will be plenty of other feeding spots throughout the yard. When choosing bird feeders there are many factors that you want to keep in mind such as the type of bird that you are trying to attract, does the feeder meet the needs of the birds feeding preferences, you don’t want to choose a feeder that has to be refilled more frequently, is the feeder okay for the climate that you live in, is the feeder easy to clean, and the price of the feeder and what you are going to have to pay to fill the feeder. Also, while choosing a feeder you want to choose one that squirrels can’t get into because they will eat all of the feed. Buying the correct feeder is a very important step in the bird feeding process.

To make sure that you are attracting the wild birds that you want and keeping them happy and coming to your backyard more often there are a few tips and guidelines to follow. When the time comes to refill your bird feeders make sure you clean them first by removing all old or moldy bird seed and refilling it with clean and fresh feed. You wouldn’t eat off of dirty dishes and neither do the birds. While purchasing a feeder keep in mind what location the feeder will be places because you want to choose a style that is nice to look at from all viewing angles and also you want to keep size of the feeder in mind. By keeping your hummingbird feeders filled for up to two weeks after their migrating season starts you will provide hummingbirds that are still migrating south plenty of nourishment.

Last but not least if you are going to offer only one type of feeder make sure it is a tube feeder with sunflower seeds and to hang it at least five feet from the ground. Keeping these tips in mind will keep you birds happy and nourished.

Celebrating National Bird Feeding month in February can be fun for people of all ages if you know all of the right things to do when feeding wild birds. Choosing the correct type of food for the certain types of birds you will want to attract will give you the best results. Bird feeders come in all types and varieties so choosing the best bird feeders wisely will ensure that your birds will be able to eat the food and continue happily. Many tips and guidelines should be kept in mind while purchasing food, feeding the wild birds, and cleaning the feeders to make sure that you get the best results from your food and feeders.

Wild birds are an amazing thing to watch so we can do our part to help them stay nourished so that they can continue to give us something to watch out the window or sit in the backyard and enjoy.

Last year we asked our readers to send in some of their Valentines Day ideas for kids so we could share them with all of you.  Here’s three cute ideas by Mary, Judy and Judy (two different Judys!)

Sent in by Mary H – Valentine Mailbox:

Start Valentine’s Day for your family with  surprise for each member. Make a small homemade Valentine mailbox to place on the back of each family member’s chair. This is a craft that can be done the day before Valentine’s Day with your children. Use half of a cereal box to make each mailbox. Cover the outside of the mailbox in either red or pink construction paper. Decorate each mailbox with the person’s name and cut out hearts and glitter to make it special for each person. Use a hole punch to place two holes on the back of the mailbox. Use these holes to attach the mailbox to the back of each person’s chair at the kitchen table with ribbon.

Before everyone gets up Valentine’s Day morning place a card and a small gift into each person’s Valentine’s Day mailbox. The gift can be a small stuffed animal or even a little bit of chocolate. The idea is to give each family member a small surprise gift to start their Valentine’s Day off right. A great way to build on this idea is to have each child place a special card from them in your spouse’s mailbox.

Sent in by Judy L – Valentines Breakfast:

Prepare a special Valentine’s Day breakfast for your family. You will want to make heart shaped pancakes for this event. You can attempt to make these by hand or use stencils that they sell in cooking stores. You can place chocolate chips in some of the pancakes for those in your family that enjoy chocolate. Make sure to include fresh fruit like strawberries to place on the pancakes. You can also make heart shaped toast. Once the toast is out of the toaster and buttered use a heart shaped cookie cutter on them. Make eggs, bacon, and any other breakfast favorites of your family.

Nonstick Heart Pancake or Egg Rings Creating heart shaped pancakes or eggs is simple with this handy mold. Set of two.

Valentine’s Day Toast Stamper A really cute way to add some Valentine joy to your families breakfast.

Sent in by Judy C – Valentines Cards: 

Start out by helping your children to cut out card sized hearts for the cards. The hearts can be cut from red and pink construction paper. The front of the heart can decorated with stickers, glitter and even ribbon to make each homemade Valentine card special. A personal note written on the back and signed by your child finishes the back of the card.

Your children can make special treat bags to go with each of the Valentine’s cards that they hand out. Start by choosing either chocolate candies or conversation hearts to fill the treat bags. You can get pink and red color tulle from your local craft store that can be cut into squares to make the treat bags. Place the square of tulle on the table. In the center of the square, you can help your children to place a small pile of candy. Finish off the treat bags by pulling up the sides and tying them together with ribbon.

Click here for more Valentine craft ideas!

Did you know that February is International Friendship Month? We should celebrate our friends everyday, but setting aside one month gives us a chance to extend our appreciation for our friendships, and to promote new ones.

Use International Friendship Month as a time to celebrate our friends near and far. With the internet it’s easier now than ever to connect with people from all over the world and form bonds that we might never have been able to.

Here’s a few easy ideas for your kids to try:

Make a friendship poster - write your name and your friend’s names on construction paper or poster board and decorate it using glitter, markers and stickers.

Make a ‘friendship collage’ – cut out pictures of you and your friends and arrange them on a piece of cardstock to form a collage.

Make friendship bracelets – shop for friendship bracelet kits below.

Have a picnic for your friends – make their favorite sandwiches and have some fun!

Find a pen-pal - in the spirit of International Friendship Month, find a pen pal from another country. Tell them about your country and it’s customs and learn about theirs.

My Friendship Bracelet Maker The set includes a bracelet maker and 56 precut threads in 14 different colors that are stored inside the Bracelet Maker to keep the strings organized. Simple to use – no tape, pins or bags of messy threads! Great to take along on trips or to summer camp or have a bracelet making birthday party. Price: $15.33

Friendship Bracelets (Klutz) Super-clear directions for ten different kinds of bracelets, with all the colorful floss and beads you need to make all of them. A built-in clipboard provides the ideal work surface for this coolest of crafts. Price: $12.63

Fancy Friendship Bracelets (Klutz) Introducing Fancy Friendship Bracelets, the original Friendship Bracelet’s new best friend. We started with super-simple instructions for a flock of all-new bracelet designs. We added five different colors of cord and more than 200 sparkling beads. Then we threw in some stylish charms for good measure. The result is even better than we hoped. Fans of the first book will love this new one. Price: $9.71

Friendship Bracelets (Kids Can Do It) Inside you will find clear, step-by-step instructions, full-color illustrations and 14 different bracelet patterns. Price: $6.95

How to Make Friendship Bracelets This handbook shows how to create 22 vibrant thread bracelets without any weaving equipment. Using only two basic knots and a safety pin to keep the work taut, crafters can create a host of designs ranging from the simple to more intricate. Price: $8.47

12 Woven Friendship Bracelets in Assorted Colors These yarn bracelets have beautiful ornate weaving and make great gifts and party favors. With stunning vivid colors and detailed designs, these 11″ bracelets are perfect to throw in goody bags or give away as prizes. Price: $2.50

Are your children looking for Valentine craft ideas that are simple and adorable? Here’s a few ideas that older kids can do themselves. Younger kids may need some help from a parent or older sibling.

Gather up the supplies needed before you start so you don’t scramble around looking for that one last thing needed to complete the project. Most of the supplies are probably items you already have on hand.

Scroll down to the end of this post to shop for Valentines crafts and activities from amazon.com.

Box of Love: First, find an small empty box. If you have a box from a bar or soap or a tube of toothpaste, that size would work great. Use Valentine wrapping paper to wrap the outside of the box. Decorate with ribbons, bows, stickers – let the kids use their imagination. Copy this poem onto a small piece of cardstock and attach it to the box. (Older kids can try the one below)

I took an ordinary box,
as empty as can be.
I filled it with a special gift,
and wrapped it carefully.

But please don’t ever open it,
just leave the ribbon
And hold it tightly near your heart,
My love for you’s inside!

Box of Hugs: Like above, gather a small box. Cut a bunch of approximately 2″x 2″ squares from red, pink and/or white  tissue paper. Cut out a lot because you will be covering the whole box!
Water down the glue – 2 parts glue to 1 part water. Lightly brush some glue on the box and stick the tissue paper squares on. You want them to overlap so you do not see the box. Work in small sections until the entire box is covered. Set aside to dry. Once it is dry, you can lightly brush over your box with the glue and water mixture to make it more durable and shiny; however this is optional.

Once dry, tie with ribbons as you would a wrapped present and attached a gift tag which reads:

This is a very special gift
That you can never see
The reason it’s so special is
It’s just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely
Or are ever feeling blue
You only have to hold this gift
And know I’m hugging you.

You never can unwrap it
Please leave the ribbon tied
Just hold the box close to your heart
It’s filled with hugs inside.

I couldn’t send you flowers
And candy wouldn’t do
And mushy cards just didn’t Say the things
I want them to.
So I got you something special
And here’s the inside scoop
I found you something very rare Its genuine Cupid poop

Thumb One Loves You: This is really cute for the little ones. Cut a piece of white cardstock and fold it over to form a card. Have your child press down both of their thumbs on a red or pink ink pad. Angle them together so they form a heart and press down on the front of the card. On the inside of the card, write “Thumb” one loves you”. You can also write “Thumb one thinks you’re special”.

If you’re looking for more Valentines Day ideas for kids activities and gifts, check our suggestions listed here. Shop with confidence through amazon.com’s secured server.

Peanuts Valentine Craft Kit This craft kit includes everything you need to make your own valentines plus a 32-page storybook adaptation of the classic television special Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown Price: $24.98

Origami from the Heart Kit Use the art of origami to create unique, personalized cards that recipients will treasure! Price: $9.99

A Make-Your-Own Valentine Card Kit Kit comes with a stencil, 100 stickers, fancy paper, special instructions, and decorating tips! Makes over 45 valentines! Price: $7.90

Valentine Crafts for Kids A treasury of fun holiday crafts, gifts, cards, and decorations can help children turn an ordinary Valentine’s day into a special, heart-filled occasion. Price: $4.74

175 Easy-To-Do Valentine Crafts Price: $9.99

Valentine Crafts (Creative Crafts for Kids) Price: $10.50

Shrinky Dinks I Heart You Cards Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other time you want to say ‘I love you!’ Make twelve handcrafted cards using pre-printed Shrinky Dink designs. Price: $6.98

Wilton Valentine Candy Necklace Kit Wilton Valentine Candy Necklace Kit makes 8 necklaces. Fun Valentine colors and great flavors Price: $2.80

Just because the gifts are opened and the paper strewn about the living room doesn’t mean the fun of Christmas is over. Add some fun Christmas games to the day to extend the fun! You can buy some buy some Christmas ornaments and smal holiday trinkets to give out as prizes.

Here’s a few of our readers favorite Christmas games for kids.

If you have a large gathering have fun with the hat game. When your guests arrive, give everyone a Santa hat. These are inexpensive and can be purchased for $1 at the dollar store, or even less in bulk, if you plan ahead. As everyone goes about their business of getting food, chatting with others and the like, the room will look very festive with everyone wearing their Santa hats. However, the object of this game is to be the last one wearing your hat. Inevitably, people will remove their hats as time goes on and the person who has their hat on the longest wins. Let everyone keep their hats as party favors.

One fun memory game that kids particularly like is to make everyone pay attention to all the gifts that are opened on Christmas day. After the gifts are removed from the room (or you remove yourselves from the gift room) have everyone try and remember every single gift everyone got. Include stockings and any food gifts. Tell people they only have to remember the items that were opened that day, not any gifts they received and opened prior to Christmas day. This can be a fun game that’s particularly popular with kids because they love to relive the gift magic. In addition, if they were so immersed with their own gifts they didn’t notice anyone else’s this is a good chance for them to find out what everyone got that day.

If you need a game to keep everyone busy before dinner, try the “guess me” game. Buy some large heavy socks, not low-rise, but the type that are worn outdoors in the winter that are thick and come at least to the calf. Put several items in the socks. Make sure identical items are in each sock. These items should be related to Christmas in some way. You might include a small ornament, scotch tape, a pine cone, a Hershey’s kiss, and the like. Have each person feel the socks (having two socks just makes the game go faster, but you can play with just one), and write down their guesses about what’s in the socks. Be sure to tell everyone how many items are in each sock.

If you have a bunch of wanna-be performers in your group on Christmas day, how about playing a little game of “Christmas Idol”? Set up a small table for the “judges” and have teams of 2 people (or individuals, if they want) sing a Christmas carol. Tell them to have a lot of fun with the song, and even add a Santa hat or other dress-up items if they wish. The winners can take home a CD of Christmas music. This game is particularly fun if just the children want to perform and be judged by the adults, or if, conversely, the adults perform and are judged by the children.

Have fun!

More winter fun – Check out some cute poems about winter for children!

December 8th is National Brownie Day! Who doesn’t love a chewy brownie with a glass of milk or cup of hot chocolate? Celebrate the day by trying one of these easy brownie recipes!

Easy Brownie Mix
6 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Melt the butter and mix in the cocoa powder. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and salt and mix well. Lightly butter a pan and sprinkle flour or cocoa until it’s covered.
Butter the baking pan lightly and sprinkle flour or cocoa over the pan until covered. This will help the mixture not to stick to the dish. Spread the brownie batter evenly in pan and put in oven for 35-40 minutes. When a tooth pick is inserted and it comes out clean the brownies are ready. Allow to cool until warm before cutting.

No Bake Brownies
(This is a great one for your kids to try making themselves)
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup chopped walnuts

Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Heat the sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened chocolate in a medium saucepan together over medium-low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the graham cracker crumbs and half of the chopped walnuts. Spread in the prepared pan. Top with remaining walnuts. Chill until firm, 3-4 hours.

More winter fun – Check out some cute poems about winter for children!

December 4th is National Cookie Day! Personally, I think everyday should be cookie day, but hey, that’s just me.

I’m not a baker and the easier the better so here’s three extremely easy cookie recipes you and your family can make together…and enjoy together!

Vanilla Cookie Sandwich
24 Vanilla cookies
creamy peanut butter
marshmallow Creme
finely chopped peanuts

Spread the bottom side of 12 wafers with peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Cover with second wafer to make sandwich. Roll edges in peanuts.

Peanut Butter Smores
creamy peanut butter
9 Graham crackers, broken in half (18 squares)
7 Cookies similar to oreos, coarsely chopped
hot fudge ice cream topping
miniature marshmallows

Spread peanut butter on half of the graham crackers. Top each with the chopped cookies, some of the fudge sauce and a few marshmallows. Cover with a graham cracker. Place them on a microwavable plate. Microwave on high for about 10 to 15 seconds or until marshmallows begin to melt. Serve warm.

No-Bake Baseball Cookies 
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 12-ounce box wafer cookies, crushed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
6 pieces red string licorice
16 ounces white chocolate 
Line a work surface with waxed paper. In a large bowl mix the condensed milk, crushed cookies, walnuts, and melted chocolate. Take a tablespoonful of the mixture and roll into a ball. Place on the waxed paper and flatten gently. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the cookies one inch apart. Cut the licorice into 1 - 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. Melt the white chocolate until smooth over a double boiler or in a microwave, stirring frequently. Using a fork, dip the cookies into the chocolate. Quickly, before the chocolate dries, place two licorice pieces on the cookies to form the baseball threads. Let dry thoroughly. The chocolate does dry fast, so make sure to place the licorice pieces on right after dipping. If the melted chocolate starts to harden, simply reheat for a few seconds and continue dipping. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

More winter fun – Check out some cute poems about winter for children!