The birdhouse
Use old cartons to make a shelter, which will keep the winged creatures happily chirping away all summer long, says Gaurav

Hey children, summer is upon us and the temperatures are rising! Along with the fun of vacations, ice-cream and mangoes, the summer also makes us feel hot and thirsty most of the time! We can always have a refreshing drink to deal with the heat but what about our bird friends? There is usually a scarcity of water during the summer and many birds have to remain thirsty for long periods of time. So, here is an exciting project to help our bird friends, without whom the sky would not be half as pretty! Using old cartons and a few things lying around the house, let’s make bird houses to keep the birds happily chirping away all summer long! Let’s make a list of things you’ll need:

n Two cartons of different sizes, one bigger than the other. The smaller carton should be big and spacious enough for birds to enter.
n Scissors or cutter (To be used by an adult or under adult supervision)
n Strong threads (should be able to take the weight of the bird house)
n An adhesive tape
n Colours or textured paper of your choice (To colour the bird house)
n Double-sided foam tape
n A plastic bottle
n Pencil or pen to mark

First we will work with the big carton. Cut and remove the top flaps of the carton. Then cut it in such a way that the four walls of the carton are only attached at the base. Fold the two longer sides inside and stick with adhesive tape. This should form a triangular shape.

On the remaining two walls, mark the front and back triangle formed by the longer sides and cut and remove the rest. Using adhesive tape, stick the walls to the longer sides filling in the front and back gaps. This will be the roof of our birdhouse. Now cut out a door to create a big opening for the birds to enter. Now as shown, punch four holes each on the two parts of the bird house and take thick threads through it. Tie a knot at each end to avoid the threads from slipping through. Next, put the double-sided foam tape on the base of the roof (big carton) and stick it on top of the smaller carton. Now take a plastic bottle and cut an oval opening as shown. Tie a thread on the bottle’s neck and then tie the other end near the bird house door.

Paint the bird house with colours and textures of your choice. I am using natural colours and textures so that the birds feel at home. Using the threads, suspend the bird house on your favourite tree. Put some water into the bottle, some feed in the house and watch as birds come flocking to their new home! Please use only old cartons, thread or plastic bottle to reuse and save earth’s precious resources.

(The writer is the host of Art Attack, an art and craft show on Disney Channel)