Invite Garden Guests With Birdhouses

I love birds. But between our five loud kids and the two semi-homeless neighborhood cats who’ve taken up residence on my lawn chairs, my winged backyard residents seem a little shy about getting up close and personal.

I’ve realized I may have to sweeten the pot to get the robins, wrens, and bluejays to come out and play – and a birdhouse is the perfect answer. Plus, building and decorating a birdhouse is a great family activity that can be as simple as painting a box, or a more complicated project for woodworking enthusiasts.

Check out these clever ideas for inspiration and instructions:

An empty milk carton and a Popsicle stick are the foundations of this super-simple (but super-cute) homemade bird feeder. Just a few more bowls of cereal to go, and the kids and I will be ready to make this project by the weekend.

Even easier? This peanut-butter pine cone bird feeder. The perfect impromptu rainy-afternoon project.

Got scraps left over from a household project? Build this cute, simple birdhouse from repurposed wood.

If you’re more into painting than building, consider this adorable birdhouse fence project. You can purchase pre-built, ready-to-paint wooden birdhouses online or at your local home-improvement or craft store.

Feeling inspired? I know I am. Soon my garden will be bustling with happy birds – now to find a way to keep those cats off my chairs!