Birdhouse Crafts for Kids
Kids can make birdhouses without the need for lumber and traditional building supplies. Most birds are content to live in a recycled container as long as it feels safe. These crafting ideas are kid-friendly, but adult supervision is required for cutting holes, using a glue gun and spraying on an acrylic coating.
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Painted Milk Carton
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A quart-size or larger cardboard milk or juice container makes an easy base for crafting a birdhouse. Start with a clean, dry container. Re-close the pour spout by stapling it shut or gluing it and securing it with a clothespin or paper clip until it dries. Use a large nail to poke three to four holes in the bottom of the container for drainage. Use a utility knife to cut a hole 1½ inches in diameter on the side of the carton, about 6 inches up from the bottom. Below the hole, punch a small, pencil-size hole into the container. Break a full-size pencil in half or use a short pencil for the perch. Place a dab of low-temp hot glue in the small hole. Slide the pencil into the hole so an inch is inside the carton and the remainder is sticking out for a perch. Hold the perch straight and steady until the glue dries.
Paint the carton as desired with craft paint. When the paint is dry, spray on a clear acrylic coating to protect the birdhouse from rain. Punch a hole in the center of the ridge on top of the container. Put a long piece of twine through the hole. Knot securely and tie the other end directly to a tree branch.
Log Cabin
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A log cabin birdhouse can be made by simply covering a milk container with glued-on twigs. Wash a cardboard drink container and glue the top shut. Then, cut and punch holes in the side and top, the same way you do with a painted milk carton.
Collect an assortment of small, straight twigs. Snap the twigs so they are the width of the container. Using low-temp glue, glue the twigs onto the container, covering the entire container except for the holes. Glue one twig straight out of the small hole for the perch.
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Plastic Bottle
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Very simple birdhouses can be made from empty plastic drink containers such as 2-liter soda bottles. Do not decorate these bottles so children can easily see into the birdhouse.
Cut a 1½-inch hole on the side of the container, about one-third of the way up from the bottom. Cut a horizontal ½-inch slit about an inch below the hole as a place for a perch. Cut a second horizontal ½-inch slit 2 inches below the first slit. Use a large nail to poke drainage holes in the bottom.
Bend a piece of sturdy craft wire into an L shape. Insert one end of the wire into the top slit below the hole and back out through the slit below it. Swing out the other part of the perch so it sticks out straight in front of the bottom of the hole. Glue to hold.
Cut two 12-inch lengths of sturdy string. Tie one length around the neck of the bottle so the knot is on the same side of the bottle as the hole. Tie the other length around the neck so the knot is directly opposite it. Screw the top onto the bottle. Bring the lengths of string together over the cap and make a loop at the top. Tie another piece of twine to the tree branch and through the loop.
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References
- Photo Credit bird image by Kevin McGrath from Fotolia.com
