Build a Birdhouse With Your Kids

Building birdhouses with your kids is not only good for their creative skills but it can also help develop motor skills and help  your child build a better understanding of nature.

Here are some simple ideas for s birdhouses to make. Get an empty half-gallon milk carton.  Make sure that the milk carton is washed thoroughly and dried before you start. Staple the carton shut and then wrap the entire carton with two-inch wide masking tape. Next color it with shoe polish or a marker taking care that you try and make it look like tree bark.  A hole in the side of the carton can serve as a doorway.  Make sure there are also several holes poked in the bottom so rainwater can drain out.  String this birdhouse from a tree and you are done. 

You can also build a birdhouse using paper mache and balloons.  This type of birdhouse is completely round. The recipe for papier mache is to boil newspapers boiled in water for half an hour. Then add two cups of flour.  Layer newspaper strips around the balloon but make sure you patch in a hole so that birds have some way of getting in. Once it is dry you pop the balloon, take it out of the shell you made with paper and color it with bright paint. You can then hang it from a tree. 

A very simple birdfeeder can be created from an old straw hat. Make a hole in the side of the hat for a doorway and suspend it from a tree. The birds will perch on the rim of the hat.  If you hang it low enough you can put birdseed in the hat hollow. Nesting shelves are also easy for kids to build. They attract birds like phoebes, robins and swallows. All you need is a wooden box that is about the size of a shoebox. You simply hang it on a hook so it can hang vertically. This allows the birds to build their nests in the open cavity.  This type of birdhouse allows your kids to observe the birds and it can easily be nailed to a front porch post or fence post. 

If you want to attract doves try building a nesting cone. Simply take a foot long length of finely meshed screen and wrap it into a cone shape. You can than wire it into a tree. Be sure to place it high up in a tree so the dove sees it as a safe place. The dove will see the cone shape as a friendly place to build a nest. 

Bird watching is a fun, inexpensive activity for families.  All year long you can watch the variety of birds that come to visit. If your child can handle a hammer, nails and glue there are a large variety of plans for birdhouses that kid can make available for free on the internet. Usually the provider of the plans can tell you what age group the project is best suited for. You can also find plans for birdhouses at your local library.  

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Eat Your Meals Together!

The family that eats their meals together stays together!  This is why it is so important to have a routine when it comes to mealtime. Studies show that kids who regularly eat at home with their families have a healthier diet, are less likely to be fat, are less likely to isolate or be depressed and get better marks in school. They are better socialized and simply feel more understood, loved and bonded with their parents. 

However these meals together are not just about eating. They are also about communication. Family meal time is a time to talk. It should be a round table that is a safe place for kids to express their opinions. 

If you eat your meals together you are also teaching your kid to be civilized and disciplined. You are teaching them how to have a dinner conversation.  You are also instilling in them the importance of maintaining a daily routine.  You are also teaching them responsibility if you help them set the table. 

Are you having trouble getting your kids into the idea of eating a meal with you?This can be a problem if they are used to eating in front of the television. Try posting a menu on a magnetic white board or writing it on a chalkboard. You can send your older kids an email. Kids love it when you create a sense of excitement about a meal. 

Some kids also love it if there is a little pomp and circumstance to the meal. You can have them make a simple centerpiece for the table or light some candles. You can also serve older children beverages in wine glasses to make them feel important. The more your child feels that you are taking him or her seriously the more devoted he or she will be to you in general.  Even the tiniest kid who is being served milk in a plastic wineglass will feel important. 

Yet another way to convince your kids to bond and communicate with you over dinner is to make certain nights into a ritual. For instance in my house we have a Spaghetti Saturday ('pusgetti' as my youngest son calls it.)  Kids like the idea of routine and consistency. You should avoid letting your kids eat by themselves or with the family in front of the television.  For one thing this does not promote conversations. For another it promotes this kind of mindless eating and snacking in front of the television. This is a habit that could extend into your child's adult years and cause psychological problems. 

The way to start conversations with your kids is to keep things as light and fun as possible. Don't' pressure them to answer questions that you ask as that is all they do all day in school – answer questions. Telling jokes is a good idea as it helps loosen up the atmosphere. Basically be as charming as you normally would be at any adult dinner party and you will get great results because your child will feel so loved and respected!

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