While it's absolutely true that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for families in particular, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's been an ENTIRELY negative experience. Getting kids involved with home improvement projects, for example, is a great way to not only maximize this "new normal" that we're currently living through - it's also a perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids and give them a fun learning experience, too.
Exterior projects in particular are great for teaching your kids about plants and wildlife, as well as for helping them develop an artistic eye for shape, color, balance and more. All of these things will serve them well when they become homeowners themselves one day, and here is your chance to get them started on the right track.
Enhance Your Entryway to Increase Your Curb Appeal
One of the first parts of your home that people see when visiting or passing by is also, for many homeowners, among the most important for curb appeal: the entryway. Whether you're in the market for a new front door or just want to spruce things up a bit, this is one of the best home projects for kids because it lets them flex a lot of different creative muscles, essentially all at the exact same time.
If your entry door has glass, for example, you could let them try their hand at the popular mosaic art trend. Here, all you need is some painters tape and erasable markers and let them paint to their heart's content. If they make a mistake or if you're not happy with the end result, all you need is some dish soap to make cleanup as easy as possible.
Likewise, you can also allow them to make crafts like paper snowflakes to really keep a visual theme in line with the current season. If you want to give them a bit of additional direction, have them come up with their own positive message that they want to send to the entire neighborhood. Tell them to express themselves by giving thanks to the first responders who are keeping us all safe during COVID-19, or to the recent graduates who were unable to attend their ceremonies due to the pandemic.
Not only does this allow them to practice their creativity, but it's a great project to show off their empathy as well.
The Finer Points of Fireplace Decorating
Another one of the great home projects for kids involves decorating your fireplace - something that probably gets a fair amount of activity during the winter, but that also tends to sit idle during most other parts of the year.
Keep in mind that your fireplace is almost always the centerpiece of whatever room it's in. If it is looking it's age and could certainly use a refresher, now would be an excellent time to do it and your kids are the best helpers you could ever ask for. Even if your fireplace looks beyond acceptable, you could still use this as a chance to bring the overall look into something more in line with the look and feel you're going for in the room itself.
Kids can help in a number of ways - from choosing colorful plants to creating homemade crafts to adorn the mantle. Talk the project through with them ahead of time so that they can get a sense of what you're going for and then let them put their own unique spin on it. In the end, you'll wind up with something that is every bit as appealing during those warm summer months when you're not even thinking about building a fire as it is during the winter when you're all gathered around the fireplace nightly.
Making Your Mailbox Your Own
Finally, one of the best garden crafts for kids projects that you can start during your extended stay at home involves injecting as much flair and personality into your mailbox as possible.
Your mailbox is one of those things that you don't tend to think too much about - it serves its function and 99.9% of them look very similar. But this is also a great way to get your kids to embrace their own sense of creativity, all while expressing their personality in a fun way that the entire neighborhood can see.
Take your kids to the craft store and let them choose any embellishments they want - from glitter to beads to paint and more. Get them to think about that old mailbox as like a blank canvas just waiting for a new, unique form of expression. It's even a project that you can do multiple times throughout the year, letting them help redecorate for special family events, for the beginning of school or even for certain holidays that you all celebrate.
At ODL, we've been helping homeowners build value into their building projects for over 75 years - and we're honored for the opportunity to help do the same for you, too.
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