Birdwatching is a prized pastime for a lot of people and it can be a wonderful activity for your kids too. As a matter of fact, it can easily become one of the most treasured times that you and your child spend together. However, purchasing a pre-made birdhouse can be quite expensive and a great alternative is to build it yourself. Making a DIY birdhouse is not only a fun experience but doing this craft with your kids has various developmental benefits for your child - Not to mention, all the dollars that you will end up saving. If you are still not convinced, below are 6 reasons why you should make time for this wonderful DIY with your kids.
1. Enhanced Fine Motor Skills and Coordination
One of the biggest advantages of building a DIY birdhouse with your kids is that it's a great crafts activity and will help your child in acquiring fine motor skills. In making the birdhouse your child will be using both their hands and will have to be careful about maintaining bilateral coordination. Drawing on paper, cutting, or joining different pieces together are quite dexterous tasks and your kids will have to be immersed in the activity. This may also help them improve other life skills, such as tying their shoelace.
2. A Great Way to Express
Kids are naturally visual beings and they are quite observant as well. As a result, they absorb whatever is happening around them. Some kids are quite comfortable with expressing themselves while others may feel shy about putting their emotions into words. This is where the crafts come in as a wonderful companion. Building a birdhouse with your child not only gives them an outlet to express their feelings but also helps them connect with the bird watching the activity on a much deeper level.
3. A Boost to Curiosity & Creativity
Generally, arts and crafts have a magical effect on everyone but for kids, they spark creativity and curiosity more than anything else. It is a creative activity that allows for self-expression and teaches them to cope with their feelings. It will also make them more curious about the whole process and the next thing you know they may be asking for wild bird seed or something else to show their curiosity and interest. This experience of building a birdhouse will give their mental health a holistic, positive boost.
4. Quality Bonding Time With You!
Obviously, any time spent with your child making something is a precious moment. Kids simply love being around their parents and there is nothing better than turning that time into a creative and quality craft experience. Moreover, with birdhouses, it is not only about the craft but it is a preparatory task for an ongoing activity that you and your child will be doing together moving forward. It is also a great time to talk to your kids, share stories and listen to their thoughts and ideas.
5. Good for Confidence and Compassion
Getting involved in building a birdhouse with you, will give a sense of accomplishment to your child and they will feel more confident. However, it is not merely about the confidence and self-esteem but also the compassion that they will be able to nurture for the little birds. It is a great trait to teach your child because it helps them lead a more successful, fuller life as a responsible and conscious person.
6. It is a Literary Activity
Whether you agree with this or not, building a birdhouse is not merely a mundane craft activity. It is so much more than a simple task because you can visualize it in any way that you want and it is an expression of your creative insight as well. When you are indulged in this activity with your child, it becomes more interesting because your child will learn the importance of different concepts and subtle ideas, like color preferences. You may probe and encourage them more by asking simple questions, such as “why are you selecting this color?” or “tell me all about your idea”. They will not only enjoy this activity but end up being better at communication skills as well.
While the above are just a few benefits, in reality, building the birdhouse with your child will be an unmatched, wonderful experience. A birdhouse is not only a sanctuary for the little bird friends that you and your child will make, but it will also become a crafty symbol of the quality time that you shared together. More beautiful is the fact that you will welcome a lot more beautiful moments because of that. So, envision and start building it right away!
