Freeze Frosty Ornaments

Head outside for a winter walk and gather nature items. (See list above.)

Arrange the collected objects inside the molds or muffin pan. Pour water over them.

For the hangers, place the ends of a strip of ribbon in the water in each mold.

Carefully move the molds outside to freeze. (If the temperature is above 32°F, put them in your freezer instead.)

After the water has frozen, remove the ornaments from the molds. (If they won't come out easily, run some warm water over the bottom to loosen.)

Hang the ornaments outside on tree branches.

You can also add fruit slices, sunflower seeds, nuts, and dried corn kernels to your ornaments. As the temperature rises, the ornaments will start to melt. Some of the treasures inside will make tasty treats for the birds in your neighborhood!

By Michele Reyzer. This activity originally appeared in the December/January 2012 issue of Ranger Rick magazine.