sunnyday Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 Hi all I have been given a big bag of fir cones with the promise of lots more to follow!!! They are HUGE - approx 7 inches long and approx. 2.5 inches 'round' - woohoo! I can only think of making 'hedgehogs'........ I know you will all come up with fantastic ideas........Sorry I mean PLEASE can you come up with some fantastic ideas! Sunnyday
Guest Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 We have a big basketfull in the number area for counting/comparing from tiny to huge. They last surprisingly well in the sand and make a lovely rustling as you pour dry sand thro them or you can print with them in wet sand or dough.Also float in water tray for a bit. They get taken apart on the investigation, table, cooked with in the role play, used for trees in small world, modelled withand decorated in our workshop and have even been used as balls outside when all ours went over the fence one day:) And of course they make fab little Christmas trees, decorated with sparkly pipecleaners for tinsel, beads and sequins - there is also the problem to solve of how you make them stand up like a real tree. I love 'em !
sunnyday Posted September 25, 2009 Author Posted September 25, 2009 Well thank you - Pollyputthekettleon...........fab. ideas......I especially like the adding to the sand tray.........they will be joining all the other 'unusual' items I have in mine!!! I received the cones with great enthusiasm and then had the awful completely 'brain dead' moment - no ideas from staff either!!! Please keep the ideas coming - perhaps we can turn this thread into '101 things to do with a fir cone'!
wellerkaren Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 lucky you sunnyday I would love some pinecones where did you get yourkind donation from?
sunnyday Posted September 25, 2009 Author Posted September 25, 2009 lucky you sunnyday I would love some pinecones where did you get yourkind donation from? A parent.......one of my 'newbies' actually.......I found myself thinking - we are going to get on really well!
Guest Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 I have been given a big bag of fir cones with the promise of lots more to follow!!! Take what you need for all areas then sell some on e-bay for your funds to buy other unsual items!!
Cait Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 Mix some lard with chopped up raisins, sunflower seeds and other seedy things and get the children to press it into the open fircones, you can then use them to hand up as bird feeders over the winter. We painted some with pva and rolled them in glitter for Christmas decorations to hang on trees one year, and another year we made nice table decorations for Christmas with them. You can roll painty pictures with them - makes some good patterns. Tie ribbons to the open 'branches' and hang them in the wind to watch them streaming - they close up so the ribbons stay tightly fastened in
Panders Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 Well that's just typical !! Cait's nicked all my ideas already - sorry Sunnyday!!
sunnyday Posted September 25, 2009 Author Posted September 25, 2009 Take what you need for all areas then sell some on e-bay for your funds to buy other unsual items!! Well I never did - could you actually 'sell' them - that would never have entered my head - have to confess I have never used ebay (I know can you believe it!) - don't know if I could trust myself.........
sunnyday Posted September 25, 2009 Author Posted September 25, 2009 Mix some lard with chopped up raisins, sunflower seeds and other seedy things and get the children to press it into the open fircones, you can then use them to hand up as bird feeders over the winter. We painted some with pva and rolled them in glitter for Christmas decorations to hang on trees one year, and another year we made nice table decorations for Christmas with them. You can roll painty pictures with them - makes some good patterns. Tie ribbons to the open 'branches' and hang them in the wind to watch them streaming - they close up so the ribbons stay tightly fastened in Thanks Cait - love the bird feeder idea! We made table decs. last year but with much smaller cones!
dublinbay Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 Hi allI have been given a big bag of fir cones with the promise of lots more to follow!!! They are HUGE - approx 7 inches long and approx. 2.5 inches 'round' - woohoo! I can only think of making 'hedgehogs'........ I know you will all come up with fantastic ideas........Sorry I mean PLEASE can you come up with some fantastic ideas! Sunnyday I brought a load of HUGE fir cones back from France when I was on holiday there in the summer. They're in my garage and I hadn't thought of how to use them yet. So........thanks for bringing this up sunnyday and thanks for the ideas so far everyone. p.s. never saw such huge fir cones in my life!!!!
Cait Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 We got 'ginormous' ones in Guernsey, too. They look nice on windowsills are can be fun to just talk about weather/temp/humidity when they are opening and closing - and shedding seeds that make great 'helicopters' like sycamore seeds
laura Posted September 25, 2009 Posted September 25, 2009 I'm desperately looking for fir cones as I saw the bird feeder activity on cbeebies. So far I have ....1! Have put a plea out for parents in the newsletter. Here's hoping!
Guest Posted September 26, 2009 Posted September 26, 2009 I had a huge bag donated 2 years ago, some of which we spray painted gold or silver. We bagged them (and some natural ones) prettily with curly ribbons for the school Christmas Fayre. Apparently they sold out within the first hour!! Perhaps a bit of a fundraiser?! Nona
sunnyday Posted October 22, 2009 Author Posted October 22, 2009 Mix some lard with chopped up raisins, sunflower seeds and other seedy things and get the children to press it into the open fircones, you can then use them to hand up as bird feeders over the winter. Just to say .... we made our bird feeders this morning - brilliant fun......and well received by parents too! The children have taken theirs home and I have asked a couple of 'teacher mummys' if they could take a photo of them in situ - and if they could capture a bird on them too - bonus!!! I love my 'teacher mummys' they are so 'in tune' with everything I try to achieve! We made an extra one that is hanging from a tree in our outdoor area!
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