Easy Tutorial for Kids
Photos from sources linked below.
This week we get creative in the garden with an easy tutorial to make your very own colourful birdhouse. Follow the simple steps and then sit back and wait for your new feathery friends to say hello!
What You'll Need:
- Empty milk or juice carton
- Craft knife
- White acrylic paint and paint brush
- School glue
- Strips of coloured tissue paper
- A stick from the park or garden (about 6" long, and 0.5" wide) (you may use a small wooden spoon instead)
- String to tie the birdhouse to a tree
Important: A responsible adult should be present at all times when building this birdhouse, as sharp objects and glue will be used. This adult can undertake the cutting and gluing themselves.
Step 1: Wash out the carton and dry it.
Step 2: Close the carton. This will depend on the carton's design, you might be able to screw the lid on, or if it doesn't have one then glue it shut.
Step 3: Carefully cut a hole in the side of the carton with the craft knife. This is how the birds will get inside.
Step 4: Paint the carton white. This provides a base so the carton's brand imagery won't be visible later.
Step 5: Apply glue to the carton and then stick on the strips of coloured tissue paper, creating a colourful collage.
Step 6: Create a small hole below the bigger opening that can securely hold the stick in place. Create another hole in the same place on the back of the carton. Insert the stick through both holes - this will be the perch. The stick should be big enough so there is a perch on the inside of the carton and a little on the front as well.
Step 7: Put a few more small holes in the carton for ventilation.
Step 8: Note: Ensure that the glue and paint are fully dry before the final step. Make a small hole in the very top of the carton, where the carton peaks, and thread some string through it. Knot the string so it's attached to the carton, and then tie the other end of the string to your tree outdoors, with birdseed inside the carton. Now sit back and wait for your new feathery friends to say hello!
Optional: Glue short sticks next to each other to the top for a nice log cabin house effect on the roof.
Optional: You can try different variations to decorate the birdhouse instead of the coloured tissue paper, such as applying brown shoe-polish for a nice wood effect!
Sources:
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Make a Milk Carton Bird Feeder
How to Make a Milk Carton Birdhouse
How to Build a Milk Carton Birdhouse
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