The Art of Building Fairy Houses...
HOW TO CONNECT WITH NATURE
Angela Cannon Crothers
When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies. And now when every new baby is born its first laugh becomes a fairy. So there ought to be one fairy for every boy or girl.
– J M Barrie author of Peter Pan
For years I have been taking children outside to build fairy houses in the ally beside Writers & Books on University Avenue in the city, at Herb Haven's garden in Crystal Beach, and in the woods near my home in the Finger Lakes. " What I love about building fairy houses is that it's more than an inspirational art project; it's an activity that builds on a child's connection to nature as well as their imaginations.
Fairy houses may be roughly about dollhouse size but they're meant for magical nature spirits, not dolls, and the creativity involved becomes a direct reflection of your natural surroundings. And building miniature domains isn't just for girls; I lure in more hesitant boys by saying some homes are for trolls or toads and watch the building begin!
Authentic fairy houses are made from all-natural materials and require that the builder doesn't harm any living things (Fairies won't visit if you do!). By spending time gathering twigs, rounded stones, loose bark, feathers, shells and other items, children learn to look closely at nature while making discoveries along the way. Getting outdoors, exploring, and tuning into one's own imagination has benefits the computer and video world can't compete with by creating a sense of belonging to Nature and instilling a deep sense of wonder. One of the things children begin to see as they create places for magical creatures is that their houses are also visited by toads, insects, chipmunks, spiders, butterflies and more.
Get Started
The first thing to do is find a good place to build – it might be at the base of a tree where roots form a natural arch or under a bed of flowers where your fairy house will be protected from rain by petals and leaves. Often, fairy houses blend into their Surroundings and appear just as magical and secretive as fairies themselves. Fairy houses don't even have to be houses at all – they can be boats, castles, rooms, playgrounds, or water parks. They can also have a theme that reflects the environment or the season: a summer gourd house doubles as a bird house; a white pumpkin fairy house becomes an alternative to a Halloween Jack-O-Lantern; or a house of shells and drift wood blends into the beach.
Bits of vine or jute are helpful for holding things like ladders, chandeliers, archways, and bed posts together assuming you realize that nothing is permanent in nature. Tables made from rocks or wood can hold place settings made from acorn caps or tiny leaves. You can even stitch together leaves with hawthorns or tiny twigs! When the fairy house is complete, call in the fairies by offering bits of fairy foods like violets, sweet pea blossoms, blueberries, raisins, or tiny pieces of poppy seed muffins (which are sure to bring in some visitor or another). You can even have a fairy picnic beside your finished creation or have your child take a photo, make a drawing, or write a story about his fairy house.
Artist and author, Tracy Kane, is often credited with starting a fairy house movement. Kane's books, The Fairy Houses Illustrated Series, Fairy Houses Photographic Series and The Fairy Houses Mystery Series, and video offer inspiring ideas for both the novice and expert alike with some really elaborate creations – many of which I think must include some sort of glue! You can find her books at all major book stores or you can check one out at your local library. You and your child can also visit her site online at www.fairyhouses.com.
Whether you're creating enchantMent alongside a city sidewalk, in the woods, or in the garden, building fairy houses and taking time to think small fosters a sense of wonder for child and parent alike – the results of which are purely magical.
Angela Cannon-Crothers is a contributing writer to Rochester Area & Genesee Valley Parent. She lives in Upstate NY. For information on environmental education programs with Angela, visit her website at www.angelacannoncrothres.webs.com
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