Doing Young Builder projects with your kids can be a great way to spend time together while also teaching them important life skills. From learning how to follow instructions and work as a team to developing fine motor skills and problem-solving ability, working on projects together can help your kids in a variety of ways. And, of course, it’s also a great opportunity for you to bond with your children and create lasting memories.

This month’s Young Builders project is an easy-to-build message board! A homemade message board can be a great way to keep track of important information. Whether you're using it to jot down reminders for yourself or leaving notes for family members, a message board can help you stay organized and on top of things. You can also use it to display photographs or artwork. No matter how you choose to use it, a message board is a handy tool that can help make life a little easier.

What You’ll Need for This Project

• Pallet Wood
• 2 Larger
• 2 Smaller
• 8 Nails
• Chicken Wire
• Staple Gun w/ Staples
• Clothes Pins
• Note Paper

Step #1: Arrange Your Pieces of Wood

The first step to creating your message board is arranging your pieces of wood into a frame. You will need to lay the two longer pieces of wood down so that they run parallel to each other, then lay the shorter pieces of wood on top of the long pieces so they make a rectangle. Make sure to line up all of the pieces so that the ends all come together neatly in the corner.

Step #2: Nail Your Frame Together

Next, you will take your nails and nail together your frame. You will need 8 nails in total, two in each corner. Make sure to keep an eye on the shape of your frame as hammering can cause the pieces to move out of place.

Step #3: Turn Over Your Frame and Connect Chicken Wire

Once, all four pieces of wood have been nailed together, flip your frame over. Take the piece of chicken wire and lay it along the back side of the frame. Be careful, the ends of the chicken wire can be sharp! Use a staple gun to staple the chicken wire to the back side of your frame, down along the two longer pieces of wood.

Step #4: Paint or Stain

Now that your message board is constructed it is time to decorate it! You can do whatever you like to personalize your message board. We recommend painting or staining it!

Step #5: Add Your Messages!

The last step is adding messages! Use clothes pins to attach whatever you want to your new message board! You can use it to hold all sorts of things like reminders, shopping lists, inspirational notes, pictures, and more!

Conclusion

Doing projects with your kids can be a great way to spend some quality time together while also teaching them important life skills. By working on projects together, you can show your kids how to plan and execute a task from start to finish. They can also learn how to use tools and materials safely and properly. In addition, working on projects with your kids can help to foster their creativity and problem-solving abilities.

If you're looking for a fun and educational activity to do with your kids, stop by HomCo on the third Saturday of the month for our Young Builders event! Our experts will be on hand to help your children build a message board they can be proud of. Not only will this project teach your kids important life skills, but it will also give them a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence. We hope to see you soon!