Charming Bird Houses

Adorable! This was a last minute Diddle Daddle Day project for the kids. I spotted these wood bird houses tucked away in my closet, grabbed the acrylic paint and scraps and sent my kids loose! And, I promise - my 5 and 3 year olds created these completely on their own! All I did was dab the Hot Glue where they told me to.

1. Allow your child to choose 1 color and paint the bird house (bought at any craft store for $1 each!) (depending on age and patience levels, you may need to help with nook and crannies, but most will be covered anyway)
2. Let dry completely. Paint second coat, if necessary.
3. While letting their houses dry, go for a nature walk. Bring a bag or bucket with you and fill it with pinecones of all sizes, pine straw, small twigs, acorns, etc.
4. Have your child pick out all their decorations: buttons, tulle, ribbon, anything from the nature walk, stickers, felt flowers, butterfly buttons, lady bug buttons, chipboard flowers.
5. Allow them creative control! They each had their own vision, and they turned out beautiful! ** My daughter HAD to have 4 flowers bunched together on top of her house, her buttons had to be pink and form a pattern. She also covered it with Wet Glitter (add wet glue to glitter=less messy), strips of gems and pearls. So cute; so her! **My son demanded his pinecone be on top of his house. (Though my eyebrows raised, I later stood back and giggled as my daughter told him how cute his 'chimney' was! Of course! It's a chimney! LOL) He also stuck yellow star stickers on his roof, well, "because, Mom, that's where the stars go"... Love their creative minds!
6. For the bottom: 1. Stack 4 or 5 Paper or Felt Flowers together with Hot Glue and Hot Glue to the bottom of the bird house. Paint petals with Wet Glitter or a 3D Clear Glue for sparkle, shine, and dew drops. 2. Bunch some tulle, pine straw, small twigs, and string with Hot Glue, and Hot Glue to the bottom of the bird house. (This was the 'water' for a 'Fishing Bird House' ; )
7. Last but not least, purchase a pack of Eggs and a pack of Birds from your local craft store. *Allow your child to make a nest out of scraps of string and yarn. Bunch it all together with a tiny rubber band or Hot Glue. *Hot Glue the Birds and Eggs where your child sees fit. My daughter cut the eggs apart, so the bird would appear to be hatching from the egg.
8. This was probably the most creative-last minute- project I have ever done with my kids. It was really neat to see them be creative individuals. I enjoyed chatting with them as we sat for a bit - Hot Gluing every single button on their houses. The best part - watching them watch their Grandparents open their surprise, and being asked where they found such neat Bird Houses. "We MADE them!"