Any ideas of toddler activities using pinecones?

902 Views 7 Replies 8 Participants Last post by WinterBaby, Jun 4, 2005

Hollycrand

Discussion Starter · Jun 2, 2005

Dd gathered over 25 pine cones last week while we were visiting her grandmother. Grandmother (my MIL) insisted we take them home, and dd would not be happy if I tossed them out, so...

any ideas? There has to be SOME sort of nice activity that can be done, aside from the 'turkey' idea that most books have?

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VikingKvinna

· #2 · Jun 2, 2005

How about making birdfeeders out of them? IIRC, it's just tying a string or ribbon on to hang them with, then smear them with peanut butter (I'm sure there are other foods you can use, too). Then hang from a tree branch and watch for birds.

I think you can also make firestarters (like for a fireplace) out of them. And you can make wreaths or candleholders or centerpieces.

Maybe try a Google search for "pinecone crafts"?

HTH! Have fun!
~nick

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kkar

· #3 · Jun 3, 2005

This is probably not what you are looking for, but my DD (19 mos.) collects them every time she goes outside and has made a hobby of putting them into a basket by our back door. I keep trying to throw a few (here or there) back outside, but it seems the pile is constantly growing.

What does she do with them? She actually plays with them throughout the day. I'm not sure exactly how, but she always has them near, or in hand, looking at them, smelling them, and then resorting them in the basket.

I think they're kind of beautiful, so I plan on keeping about a dozen at all times just for her to enjoy...

k.

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Dreaming

· #4 · Jun 3, 2005

RE: the pinecone birdfeeder idea
Use the ribbon and the peanut butter first (as PP stated).
Then roll in birdseed.

If you can't roll due to the shape then sprinkle.

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Destinye

· #5 · Jun 3, 2005

Well DD was trying to feed them to the cats last week but I don't think thats quite what you had in mind - on the other hand neither did the cats...)

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Acugirl

· #6 · Jun 4, 2005

My dd and I recently collected some and painted them and then she used them to paint....she seemed to like it..

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meemee

· #7 · Jun 4, 2005

is ur dd into crafts or just she just want to play with the pine cones. my dd hates craft. anyways here are some suggestions.

- put butcher paper on the slide. dip the pinecone in paint and drop it down the slide. use some balls too so u see the difference.

- get some narrow mouth bottles and see if they fit.

- find a box with a latch and put in some of the pinecones in it.

if ur dd is v. much into pretend play then u dont really need to do anything. like kkar mentioned they will play with it just by themselves. my dd has a rock collection. she just plays with it by herself. she puts it in this little box she has. sometimes she takes the rock onto the carpet adn traces the picture of the flower with the rocks. she arranges them in her own pattern and plays with them. i give her empty egg cartons and she puts them in the place of eggs. i hide some of them in her sand table and bean bowl.

- u can use it as a math game. put them in groups and count. make a rectangle out of say 6 cones and a circle out of the same number and show her which one is bigger.

-think science experiments. put some in a bowl of water - does it sink or float. drop it into a bowl of water - does it land vertically or horizontally.

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WinterBaby

· #8 · Jun 4, 2005

My neice painted a bunch of pinecones gold and tied pretty ribbon around them as a loop for holiday ornaments. Then she decorated with them and gave one to everyone she could think of. It's a bit out of season, but then again my daughter claims it's christmas now every so often out of the blue, and demands we decorate.

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