Making a birdhouse with your kids is a perfect family project. A wooden birdhouse can be difficult for younger children because the wood must be sawed and then glue, hammer and nails are involved. A much easier and "green" way to make a birdhouse is with a milk carton. This teaches a child a lesson in recycling.
Open the top of the used 1/2-gallon milk carton completely. Wash it thoroughly.
2
Close the top of the carton back to it's original state and staple it closed.
3
Poke a whole at the top of the carton and run a piece of 20-gauge wire, or better, through it. You will use this to tie to a tree branch when the project is completed.
4
Cut an entrance circle into one side of the milk carton, about three-fourths of the way down. Keep in mind the bird that will inhabit the birdhouse. If it is for sparrows, it should be fairly small, about the size of the adult bird. If the hole is too large, other birds and animals can get at the eggs or young chicks.
5
Make five or six small holes in the bottom of the milk carton. This will ensure that any rain water that gets in can drain.
6
Glue a short twig an inch under the entrance hole with a heavy duty glue. This will give the birds a step to stand on before entering the birdhouse.
7
Attach the birdhouse to a strong tree limb with the wire. Make sure it is not so low that cats or other predators can easily get to it.
Tips & Warnings
This project can also be made with a plastic milk jug. After washing it thoroughly, wrap wire around the bottle under the cap, for hanging. With a wider opening you can make a bird feeder.
