Stanley Jr. Birdhouse Kit and Front Loader Kit Review

For these kits, you’ll need tools, ideally Stanley Jr. branded ones. If not, adult supervision required. In all, you’ll need a hammer, a Phillips-head screwdriver, and some wood glue, or standard white glue. Otherwise, the kits come with everything you need, including sturdy wood parts, screws, paints, dowels, and more. The instruction sheets are very reminiscent of steps adults would see on build-it-yourself furniture, so this will be a great introduction for kids to that visual language. The process is fun and simple, made easy by the instructions. Do pay very close attention to which screws to use at what step however, as those are the only details that can be a bit fuzzy at the size the instructions are printed. Also, one note about the birdhouse, but the standing peg is a bit too small for the drilled hole, there’s practically no friction at all when gluing, so you might need to find a creative way to hold it steady as the glue cures.

Once done, you’ll have a very cute looking front loader vehicle, and a birdhouse. Feel free to customize either one with included stickers or the paints! Just don’t expect to get the exact hues displayed on the box. It’s a very nice blue, just different. We hung the birdhouse in our backyard, and it only took 24 hours before we saw evidence of some feathered friends starting to build a nest inside! The front loader rolls very smoothly on its real rubber tires, and looks quite nice on a shelf, if we might add!