4 Awesome DIY Projects You Can Do with Your Kids

[Lucy Clark]

If you’re looking for a fun and educational way to bond with your kids, you should really consider introducing them to the wonderful – and useful – world of DIY. By doing projects with them such as building a bird house and fixing a sink, you’ll be able to teach them basic home improvement skills that will come in handy later on in life. For example, here are some awesome projects that you can start this weekend.

1) Hang a picture. Hanging pictures is a great way to introduce your kids to the art of basic home decorating. Teach them how to find a stud to hang the picture on by using a stud finder or by knocking on the wall. Once you’ve got your hanging location marked down, show them how to hammer in a nail at a 45-degree angle to best support the weight of the picture. Finally, teach them how to use a bubble level to make sure that the picture is balanced evenly. When you’re done, your child will know how to do this on their own and you’ll have a beautiful new piece of art to display for your efforts.

2) Build a bird house. Bird houses are the best way to introduce kids to woodworking. Though you can buy pre-fabricated bird house kits from your local home improvement store, I recommend downloading plans for free online and then building yours from scratch.

This project will teach your kids a lot of useful skills, like how to measure and cut wood and how to glue two wooden pieces together. Once you’re done, you can let them add a personal touch by helping them paint and decorate it however they please. This little house will make an excellent and functional keepsake in your backyard for years to come.

3) Repair a Leaky Faucet. The art of faucet repair is not nearly as difficult to master as it seems, which makes this a great skill to pass on to your kids while they’re young. Most of the time, a leaky faucet is caused by a blown o-ring inside one of the taps. Show your child how to remove the taps with a pipe wrench. Take out the valve and show them how to inspect and identify a broken o-ring, and then teach them how to put everything back together once you’ve gotten in a replacement part from Lowe’s.  

4) Paint a room. Painting isn’t difficult, but it can be tricky if you want to do it correctly. A good way to develop this skill is to help your child paint their room any color they want. Once they’ve picked out a color or two, show them how to prep the room properly. Remove all the furniture, tape off surfaces that shouldn’t be painted and get a tarp ready for drips. Then, teach them the basics of painting – start with a small brush to make a border around the molding. Then, bring in a roller to work in W formation. It may take a few coats to get down correctly, but once you’re done you’ll have a much smarter kid and your kid will have a much cooler room.

We need to teach our kids the skills they need to grow up to be self-sufficient, but there’s nothing that says we can’t have fun while doing it. The next time you’re looking for a new way to bond with your kids, try out a home improvement project. These little projects are cheap, they’re fun and, best of all, they can teach your kids a lot of valuable information.