Wood Birdhouse - A Great Craft Kit for Little Kids
For my last birthday, my little niece Janie gave me a decorative wooden birdhouse that she painted herself. For our little preschool girl, it was a fun craft activity for a rainy day. For me, it was a gift to treasure as it brings a spot of bright color to my garden. Janie is only 4 years old, but she did a wonderful job of decorating the birdhouse for me - and she enjoyed the creative process so much, can you guess what she chose for a craft kit for the children at her own birthday party?
The kids who were invited to Janie's birthday party ranged in age from 3 up to 8 years old, so her parents chose a slightly different model for their craft. They picked out this cute wooden Toysmith Build a Birdhouse kit that comes in pieces to put together, along with all the hardware and glue needed to do it. It also comes with four paint pots in bright colors that will stand up to the weather outdoors, and of course a paintbrush in each - everything needed to create a one-of-a-kind birdhouse, all in one box.
The older kids could put it together by themselves with just a bit of adult supervision (and a little bit of hands-on help for the 6 year old), while the little ones got a nearly assembled house to go at with the paints. Dad was busy in his workshop the night before the party!
It's not always easy to find a craft that can be enjoyed equally by preschoolers and elementary school age kids alike, but the birdhouse kits were a huge hit.
Best yet, when the party was over and Janie's friends took home their new creations, their parents were equally delighted - and I believe I was not the only auntie (or grandparent) who received a unique decorative birdhouse as a gift on the next suitable occasion!
See the bright little birdhouse, decorating my trellis fence!
The pretty birdhouse in this photo is the one that was given to me as a birthday present from my 4-year-old niece. She painted it (almost) all by herself, with just a little help from Mommy - and I think Daddy helped to find the odds and ends of paint samples for her. But she picked out the colors, decided where each color would go, and wielded the paintbrush at a plastic-protected kitchen table on a rainy spring day. She painted the roof yellow and red for the back and one side, then she got creative and changed colors to paint the other end blue. She chose brown for the front of the log cabin birdhouse with yellow details that must have been a bit of a challenge for a preschooler. And every brushstroke was made with love.
I love my "perfectly imperfect" birdhouse - gifts made by a child are always the best, aren't they?
My Log Cabin Birdhouse
The decorative birdhouse that Janie painted for me is made of wood, too, like the Toysmith kit that entertained the kids at her birthday party, but it comes pre-assembled so there's no building to do. Ready to paint right out of the box, it made a great afternoon activity for our creative little one.
When you choose a wooden birdhouse that is already put together, young artists can jump right into the decoration fun. That can be a real bonus with younger kids, who may not have the patience or fine motor skills to get as much pleasure from building the birdhouse as they do from painting it.
