Milk Carton Fairy Houses

DIY Milk Carton Fairy Houses - Recycled Garden Craft for Kids

Transform ordinary milk cartons into magical fairy houses that will enchant your backyard! This eco-friendly project uses recycled materials and natural treasures like sticks, rocks, and leaves to create sturdy, whimsical homes for your favorite fairies. Kids will love gathering supplies from nature and watching their creations come to life. These charming fairy houses make perfect garden decorations and spark endless imaginative play stories!

15-60 minutes Ages 3-12 3 steps may need help

About This Project

A 15–60 minutes craft for ages 3–12, using supplies you likely already have — Staplers, Scissors, and Leaves.

GlueStick supports kids from setup to cleanup. After they choose a project, we guide them through gathering the supplies, making it, and cleaning up when they're done. We'll even help them share it safely with trusted family and friends.

Ad-free and kid-safe library — designed by a mom who wants kids to explore and create independently.

This project is perfect for:
Project Tags
fairy houses recycled materials found materials outdoor outdoor art nature craft upcycling forest garden garden decor fantasy whimsical fall summer spring castle imaginative play earth day indoor solo project group project family project steam construction engineering
  1. 1

    Find Supplies

    Do you have everything you need?
    Create a free GlueStick account to track supplies and see if you have what you need at a glance. Leave your kids tips about where supplies are stored in your household so they can set up and clean up their creative spaces independently.
    00:00
    A cartoon of Staplers
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Scissors
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Leaves
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Tacky Glue
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Rocks
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Staples
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Paper Cartons / Milk Cartons
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Utility Knives
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Sticks
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Pruning Shears
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Paint Brushes
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Bark
    You have: unknown
    A cartoon of Sand
    You have: unknown
  2. 2

    Make Milk Carton Fairy Houses

    Your creative buddy says:
    "I can't wait to make a project with you!"

    Step 1: Gather your supplies and decorations

    SHARP! Grown-up required
    Empty and rinse a paper carton - milk cartons, half and half cartons, or any other paper carton work well. You could also use a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off if needed. Rinse the carton well - fairies don't like the smell of spoiled milk! Gather bark, sticks, pebbles, leaves, sand, flowers, and anything else you may want to decorate your fairy house with. Ask your adult for help if you need to use a pruning sheers or utility knife.

    Step 2: Cut openings for the door and windows

    SHARP! Grown-up required
    Using your scissors or utility knife, cut small openings in your container for the door and windows. To make them open and close, only cut on three sides of the opening.

    Step 3: Cover your carton in sticks and leaves

    SHARP! Grown-up required
    Cut down your sticks to the height of your carton. Use tacky glue, or hot glue if you have it, to cover the carton in your sticks. You may also use leaves, moss, or bark. Depending on the glue you used and the weight of your material, you may want to let your house dry for a few hours before moving to the next step.

    Step 4: Cover the writing between the sticks

    Using an old paint brush and the tacky glue or other white glue of your choice, paint the spaces between the sticks. Then, sprinkle sand between the sticks to cover any text or patterns on the carton that you don't want to show through.

    Step 5: Display your fairy house

    Put on your finishing touches and find a place to display your fairy house. If you'll be displaying it outside, you may want to weigh down the inside with some rocks so it doesn't blow away.
  3. 3

    Clean up

    Put things away so your space is tidy for next time.

    Tidy up our space

    Put away our supplies

    Check off each supply when it is put away — and any clean-up tips underneath are done too. You might find a fun surprise!

    • A cartoon of Leaves
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Tacky Glue
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Rocks
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Staples
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Paper Cartons / Milk Cartons
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Sticks
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Bark
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Sand
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Staplers
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Scissors
      Where they belong:
    • A cartoon of Utility Knives
      Where they belong:
      • — Don't forget! Close the blade on your utility knife or replace its safety cap.
    • A cartoon of Pruning Shears
      Where they belong:
      • — Don't forget! Make sure your pruning shears are clean and dry before you put them away to prevent them from rusting.
    • A cartoon of Paint Brushes
      Where they belong:
      • — Don't forget! Rinse all the paint out of your paint brushes.

    Update what we have left

    Did we run out of anything while making this project? Update our supply cupboard so that we know exactly what we have for next time.
    Create a free account to manage your cupboard

    This project could unlock 4 creative buddies. Sign in to unlock them.

  4. 4

    Save

    Your creative buddy says:
    "What a fabulous project!"

    Create a free account to save your digital masterpiece to the Art Gallery.

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About the Author

STL Motherhood

I’m a boy mom, crafter and former reporter who loves taking my kids to superhero movies. Join me for a mix of traditional kid crafts, STEM fun and 3D printing.

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