Our first project was conceived of for two distinct reasons. First, the kids were off school before spring break. Spring break, at least where I live, is a terrible time of year. Snow and wind and rain and slush. Occasional blizzards. Getting snowed in. It's not usually a fun time of year. So the weather prevented us from starting a large outdoor project at that particular time.
But the kitchen was also mid-renovation, so inside activities sucked. That meant the garage was our option. Fun times. We had to do something, and it needed to be something fun. And useful. After a little discussion with my two boys, who are 11 and 13, we decided to build a new rabbit hutch. My younger son has 3 rex rabbits outside, and they needed a new house anywhere. The old one just wasn't good enough. So building a rabbit hutch it was.
But this would be tricky for a couple reasons. First, getting the materials during the pandemic proved to be a little bit of a challenge. Even though hardware and lumber stores were open, they had limited hours, were allowing only a few people in at a time, and had strict rules. Those rules meant I couldn't take the kids with me. We had to make a list and I had to buy everything without them actually being there. Okay. I bought wood, paint, screws, and some of the hardware we'd need.
Turns out I'd be short on wood, but that only mattered until my older son found some extra wood in the basement. So we had wood. I'd also forgotten paintbrushes, but I stole a few from my neighbor. So we had everything we needed.
The building was fun, though I ended up banned. My older son was afraid I would cut off my fingers so he manned the saw. My younger son got tired of me measuring wrong and took over that job. So they built it under my direction and using the blueprints I'd drawn for them. They're great kids and the hutch looks great. It took 2 weeks to finish because it was cold out and we needed to wait for the weather to warm a little before painting. But they did it.
My talented boys completed their first quarantine project. They worked hard, worked smart, and made something the rabbits love. They still intend to add a gambrel roof to the top so it looks more like a barn, but they're happy with it.
Quarantine projects have become a necessity. Whether it's building a rabbit hutch or painting a bedroom, giving your children something productive to do can be a lifesaver. They can learn new skills and have some fun.
And we ended up with a rabbit hutch out of it.
