Over the past year, many people have delved into new hobbies to entertain themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have taken up new languages, instruments, and DIY crafts. However, the best quarantine hobby by far is the trend of making tiny restaurants for the squirrels and chipmunks that visit our yards! This squirrel picnic table is ridiculously adorable and brings as much joy to its creators as it does to their furry friends.
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Bird watchers have always had bird feeders to supply food and create an environment that makes birds easy to observe. Some have even gotten creative by making feeders that look like tiny birdhouses or hotels, while others go for the classic feeders. Since backyard squirrels and other critters sometimes take over these feeders, homeowners have made squirrel feeders to give squirrels their own spot and keep them from taking all of the bird seed.
The Beginning of the Squirrel Picnic Table
Throughout quarantine, some animal lovers have taken it a step further by making their squirrel feeders into little restaurants! What could be more entertaining than watching a squirrel or chipmunk sit down at your table and munch on a miniature cheese plate? These little restaurants start out with a miniature picnic table, and from there you can decorate however you please! Some have made their picnic table squirrel feeders into a bar design, with little benches for multiple squirrels to take a load off after work.
Others have designed table cloths and placemats, along with tiny plates and cups to serve their fluffy patrons. This trend took over social media and the internet, giving bored people a new source of entertainment and joy. Rick Kalinowski, a construction worker who lost his job early in the pandemic, was one of the first to create a DIY squirrel picnic table. After a few weeks of boredom that involved plenty of squirrel watching, he came up with the idea. He put his construction skills to work, using scrap wood to create the tiny picnic table.
Amazingly, Kalinowski's hobby turned into a full business in a matter of days! Thousands of people saw the pictures he had uploaded on social media, and he received requests from people all over the country asking if he could make a mini picnic table for them. Already worried about paying rent and how to find an income in a pandemic, he jumped on the opportunity and made an Etsy store to sell mini tables and DIY kits for people to make their own.
Make Your Own Squirrel Restaurant
Since Kalinsowski's success, many have made their own variations of these adorable mini restaurants. No matter your woodworking skills, it's easy to design your own, or you can buy one on Amazon! To feed the little guys, simply buy an assortment of foods to put on your mini tabletop. Squirrel food often consists of seeds and nuts, and they especially love acorns, roasted pumpkin seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts.
In the spirit of giving your customers a balanced diet, they also love veggies like corn on the cob, mushrooms, squash, broccoli and apples. This is a perfect idea for Mother's Day to give your mom some wholesome and silly entertainment, or it's a fun way to befriend your backyard animals and try a new hobby!
