Winter is a magical time to explore one of my favorite types of trees: evergreens.
They are some of the best trees for climbing and also offer so many treasures for learning. My favorite treasures the evergreens offer us are pinecones — it’s so interesting to study different types, sizes, shapes, kernels, and fun to turn these fallen treasures into crafts!
PINECONE BIRD FEEDERS
The hardy birds who spend their winters in Wisconsin always appreciate a little snack, especially when food can be harder to come by.
To make your own pinecone bird feeder, go on a pinecone hunt! Explore under evergreens — public golf courses closed for the winter can be a great place to find evergreens and pinecones — and collect a few pinecones to bring back home.
Back home, start by adding a loop of twine to your pinecone; do this before you start on the fun messy stuff! Then, spread some peanut butter, almond butter, sun butter or even coconut oil all over your pinecone. Finally, roll the now-sticky surface in a container of birdseed. Birds who winter in Wisconsin particularly enjoy sunflower seeds, cracked corn, peanuts and bits of dried fruit.
Hang your pinecone bird feeder in a place you can watch to see who visits and enjoys the treat you made. Bonus: Hang in an evergreen, which provides lots of protection from the elements for winter creatures!
ICE ORNAMENTS
Another fun way to use evergreen treasures is ice ornaments. My family loves to make these all winter long and watch how they change.
This craft also starts with a hunt for evergreen treasures. This time you will need broken boughs, fallen needles or clippings from discarded Christmas trees. You can collect up other interesting winter finds from your favorite park, neighborhood, or even your own kitchen — orange peel pieces are a favorite in my house!
Add your treasures to a variety of recyclables or kitchen containers — clean yogurt containers, muffin tins, bundt pans or whatever you have. Then, add a small bit of water to each container. Place outside on a very cold day or into your freezer to let them freeze. After a few hours, they should be frozen enough to keep the treasures from floating into other layers. Add more water and a loop of twine; freeze again. You can add additional layers of water and treasures to be frozen until content with size.
Then hang outside to enjoy! Observe over the course of a few days or weeks to watch for changes.
MUSIC AND BOOKS
While you are collecting and creating, turn on The Okee Dokee Brothers’ song, Evergreen!
Along with these fun crafts and music, there are two books I love to pair with any evergreen lesson, all winter long:
The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear
This is a magical story that can inspire many different invitations to play outdoors all winter long. Grab a warm cup of tea and a stuffed animal friend to read this story, then get ready to head outside with your own sled in hand.
Winter Trees by Carole Gerber
This is a sweet nonfiction book told in beautiful verse with lovely illustrations by Leslie Evans. A child and dog explore the winter woods, using their senses to identify different trees, including a variety of evergreens. The end of the book includes more detailed descriptions of the tree species they find on their walk.
– Lee Alliet
Lee Alliet is a co-founder of Naturing in Madison, a wildschooling mama and an outdoor enthusiast. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two kids, resident dogs and an array of foster dogs. You can follow her outdoor adventures at @naturinginmadison and @adventureschoolingalliets