Create A Practically Magical Fairy House

Do you believe in fairies? You should! Sometimes, they arrive in the garden disguised as toads or mice or even spiders, but look closely at twilight and you might see twinkly, tiny lights flitting through the leaves. Don't be afraid, because fairies bring good luck! Encourage your young gardeners to create a fairy house that invites those magical beings to come, stay, and inspire garden adventures.

What You'll Need:

• Sticks, bark, leaves, stones, feathers, seashells, dried flowers, seed pods, acorns, pinecones, etc.
• A backpack or bag (optional) for collecting nature items
• A tree hollow, rocky ledge, or sheltered space in the garden
• Imagination!

How to Build a Fairy House:

1.Take a nature hike around the garden, yard, or woods to collect items to use for the fairy house. Place them carefully in a backpack or bag to carry. The only rule: Don't harm anything living, or the fairies won't come!

2.Find an out-of-the-way place in the garden to build the fairy house. The base of a tree, a rocky overhang, an opening under a shrub—these all make inviting places for fairies to live, especially if you have pets that like to race around the garden.

3.Start by building the walls and roof with sturdy materials. Sticks or bark make great walls for the fairy house. Cover them with leaves or more bark for a roof.

4.Once you've built the structure, it's time to get creative. Add pebbles for a pathway. Use the cap of an acorn for a sink, a flat seed for the plate. Add a pinecone for a fairy "tree." Make a tiny, fairy-sized swing from a branch, a vine, and a chip of wood. The possibilities are endless.

5.When you've finished, leave the house alone for a day or two. Fairies can be shy—you don't want to scare them away!

6.On the third day, quietly peek in the fairy house. Do you see any signs that someone has moved in? Be patient—they might need a little time to find their new home.

Feel free to add new decorations later, if you like. Fairies enjoy little gifts and treats, especially those that make their homes cozy and inviting. If there's a storm that disturbs the fairy house, they'll be grateful if you help rebuild their home, too. Then, one night when there's a full moon, quietly creep outside. Do you hear the rustling in the leaves? Do you see tiny lights? The fairies have moved into your garden and they're planning adventures—and maybe they'll even invite you along.