Make a Fairy House in Your Own Backyard
From the beauty of blooming trillium to the sweet sound of a chirping hummingbird, the outdoors are full of marvel and mystery. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to see a double rainbow, nature can seem downright magical! Is it any wonder then that kids all over the world dream of spotting fairies in our beloved forests, beaches, and gardens? (After all, just because you’ve never seen one doesn't mean they don’t exist!)
For hundreds of years fairies have captured the imaginations of both children and adults alike. Devoted fans honor these enchanting creatures by building charming little houses that fairies can live in and enjoy.
Who can make a fairy house? Anyone! Building a fairy house is a fun activity where nature, creativity, and magic meet. In celebration of International Fairy Day on June 24th, check out our five steps below to learn how to make a fairy house.
Step 1: Pick a building site
Tucked into tree trunks and hidden in driftwood piles, fairy houses can be found from the hills of the United Kingdom to the coast of Washington state. Picking a building site for a fairy house is a great way for kids to use their senses while exploring nature. Here’s how to get started:
• Look around the backyard or neighborhood for a peaceful spot to construct a fairy house. Since fairies prefer secluded spots, try to find an area that isn’t out in the open.
• Listen to the sounds of the outdoors. Fairies love the musical sounds of nature. If the birds are singing, water is trickling, or wind is rustling through the trees, this could be a perfect spot for a home.
• Smell the scents around the location to make sure it will be welcoming to fairies. Sweet fragrances like those of fruits and flowers are favorites of fairies (but fairies also like the aroma of pine, damp earth, and moss).
• Touch the area that’s being considered for the location of the fairy house. Is it smooth and cool? Maybe it’s mossy and soft? Fairies like to live in all sorts of places; just be sure to choose a spot that will feel nice on their little fairy feet.
Don’t have a yard? Build a fairy house alongside a favorite potted plant, or create an indoor fairy terrarium to bring a little magic inside.
Step 2: Imagine your fairy home
Fairies like all types of houses, from quaint cottages to cozy caves. With a build site in mind, let your kid’s ideas run wild and have them imagine or draw pictures of what type of home they want to build. Here are a few questions you can ask to spark their imaginations:
• What sort of home do you think a fairy would like to live in?
• What do you love about your own house that a fairy might also like? (Maybe a big living room window or a cozy fireplace?)
• How many fairies will live in this house? Make sure there is space for everyone!
• Do you want to add a yard or pool for the fairies to enjoy?
• What materials do you want to use for each part of the house?
Don't forget to add a door so that your fairy friends know how to get inside!
Step 3: Gather your supplies
Fairies love nature, so it’s best to build their homes using only natural materials. It’s also important to take only the materials you need and to gather them in a way that doesn’t harm living plants. This means that branches, flowers, and leaves found on the ground are excellent building materials, but things that are still attached to plants should be left alone. Take care not to disturb other bugs and animals too! After all, fairies are friends to all things in nature.
Now that your kid has a fairy house idea, help them gather the supplies they’ll need to turn their design into reality. Some of our favorite materials to use when making fairy houses are:
• Twigs and pieces of bark
• Leaves and pinecones
• Moss
• Rocks
• Flower petals and grass clippings
Step 4: Get building!
With a vision in mind and materials ready to go, it’s time to build! Start by preparing the build site. Make sure the area is relatively flat and gently packed down so that it will support the new house. Twigs and rocks are great for walls and roofs but because experimentation is encouraged, why not let kids try out all sorts of materials when building their house? Maybe they want to add windows, a porch, or a cute little yard? Kids can use other items from their collected materials to build furniture for the house, outdoor fairy pathways, or anything else they think a fairy would love.
Step 5: Welcome the fairies!
Before you go, write a little note to the new homeowner and make sure the door is open so the fairies feel welcome!
Building fairy houses is a fantastic way for kids to look at nature from a new perspective. When crouched on the ground surrounded by leaves and dirt, they’ll likely notice things they’ve never seen before. Looking for fairies and creating homes for them to live in helps create a special bond with the outdoors, one where kids can see themselves as guardians of nature — just like fairies.
Helping imaginations run wild