O is for Owl Babies

I've been walking a lot during this coronacation. That's a good thing, because I've also been EATING lot during this coronacation. 

The other afternoon, my walk took me past some big pine trees in a little park. I know very little about pine trees, but it seemed that there were two different kinds of them at this park, because the pine cones off of one kind were long and thin and slightly curved (you can draw your own conclusion as to what that was reminiscent of), and the other type of tree had short, squatty pine cones. I gathered up an armful of both kinds and took them home, figuring I could come up with something to do with them for the A to Z Challenge.

Came up with something. Owls. Fuzzy, little owls. It's kind of a fall craft, but you could get started now and have an enormous flock by the time fall rolls around.

I used the short, squatty ones, because who wants poop-shaped owls?

Here's what you need:

Cotton balls, pine cones, and some kind of
poking stick. I used a pencil. Small children
could use a q-tip with some of the cotton removed.

Pull the cotton balls apart, like this:

This is a great fine motor skill for
little kiddos.

Poke the pulled pieces of cotton into the gaps in the pine cone. Use the poking stick to secure it in place.

Poke gently. 

This is what they look like when you are done poking cotton into the gaps:

Looking owlish yet?

Embellish with googly eyes and bits of paper to make beaks:

Stinkin' cute, right?!

 Read "Owl Babies" to your little ones (or to yourself if you don't have little ones around; it's a terrific book), then name YOUR pinecones Sarah and Percy and Bill.

My kids' favorite book!

Mike drop....