Recycled Birdhouse Craft

Make this birdhouse craft with your children for your Easter tree, or, as an easy spring craft project. This birdhouse ornament craft can also be made for the Christmas tree. If you like turning trash into a treasure, you will love this simple toilet paper roll craft.

Grab some cardboard toilet roll tubes and cereal boxes from your recycle bin and make some of this cute birdhouse craft. An easy recycled craft idea for kids and adults.

Recycled birdhouse ornament craft is perfect for your Easter tree or Christmas tree, and would also make a fun spring garland. Making recycled birdhouse would also be fun for Earth day, and would be a great complement to a bird study unit for Homeschoolers.

Related: How to Make an Easter Tree

Birdhouse Ornament Craft

This toilet paper roll birdhouse craft is a fun and easy recycled craft idea for kids and adults alike.

Older children will be able to make these on their own from start to finish while toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners will need the assistance of a parent, caregiver, or teacher to complete this birdhouse craft.

Birdhouse Craft Materials

Recycled cardboard toilet paper roll tubes
Thin recycled cardboard boxes (cereal, crackers, bars, etc.)
Glue dots, or a glue gun and glue sticks
Acrylic paint (covers cardboard better than tempera paint)
Paintbrushes
Yarn or embroidery thread
Compass
1/2″ Circle Hole Punch
Scissors

Toilet Paper Roll Birdhouse Craft Step by Step Directions

This simple birdhouse craft is made with recycled cardboard tubes and a recycled cardboard box. Follow the easy step by step tutorial below to make this easy birdhouse ornament craft.

Step 1 – Cut Toilet Paper Rolls

Cut toilet paper rolls in half. We used three to make 6 birdhouses.

Step 2 – Use a hole punch to make the birdhouse door

Use a 1/2 inch circle hole punch to make a hole toward the bottom of each half of the toilet paper roll. You want the hole to be about 1/2 inch from one side of each cardboard tube.
Alternatively, you can use a single hole punch multiple times to make a hole approximately 1/2 inch.

Step 3 – Make the birdhouse roof out of a thin cardboard box

Find a thin cardboard box to use to make a roof for each birdhouse craft.

Look for a cracker box, granola bar box, or cereal box in your recycle bin big enough to create cardboard circles that are 5 inches in diameter.

How to make a birdhouse roof from a cardboard box

Cut the thin cardboard box open.
On the inside of the recycled cardboard box, use a compass (or trace a circular object) to create circles that are approximately 5 inches in diameter.
Cut each cardboard circle in half.
Each 1/2 circle equals one roof for a birdhouse.

Step 4 – Paint recycled cardboard tubes and half circles

Protect the surface that you will be working on, and, have children put an art smock or apron on. To protect our craft table, we secure a piece of white poster board to the surface with painters tape. When we are finished, we use the painter’s tape to attach the poster board to the wall and reuse it over and over again until it is full of paint and glue.
Invite children to use acrylic paint and a paintbrush to paint the toilet paper roll tubes and half circles the colors of their choice.
My 3-year old daughter used 6 acrylic paint colors. She painted one house (1/2 tube) and one roof (1/2 circle) in each color.
Allow paint to dry before moving on to the next step

Step 5 – Cut Sections of Yarn or Embroidery Thread (optional)

Skip this step if you do not wish to turn your birdhouse craft into ornaments.

Cut 4 to 6-inch sections of yarn or embroidery thread. You will need one section for each birdhouse ornament craft.
Tie the ends together to make small loops.

Step 6 – Make a roof for Each Birdhouse craft

To make the roof for each birdhouse craft, roll each half circle into a triangular cone. If you want your birdhouses to be ornaments do not glue them yet. If you do not want to make your birdhouse craft into an ornament, move on to the next step.
Allow recycled cardboard cone to unroll and use glue dots, or, a glue gun with glue sticks to place a dab of glue in the middle of the roof. Place the yarn loop knot into the glue with the loop extending out of the top.

Step 7 – Finish the birdhouse roof

Roll the half circle into a roof shape again.
Place a few glue dots, or, use a glue gun to place a line of glue about 1/4 inch from the edge of the half circle. Fold the roof of the birdhouse together and press to glue the birdhouse roof together.

Step 8 – Glue each birdhouse roof onto each recycled toilet roll half to finish birdhouse craft

Place a few glue dots, or, use a glue gun to place a line of glue about 1/4 inch from the inside edge of the roof.
Put the toilet paper roll half into the glue on the inside edge of the roof to finish each birdhouse craft.

Related: Best Flower Art Projects

Easy Birdhouse Toilet Paper Roll Craft

My daughter and I had a wonderful time making this upcycled birdhouse ornament craft together, and we hope you do too.

These recycled birdhouse ornaments are wonderful for decorating Easter trees and Christmas Trees! Toilet roll birdhouses would also make lovely DIY home decor as a spring garland.

You may also enjoy these Easter ornament crafts, and, this collection of fun spring activities to do with children.

Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!

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