Model Dream House

Create a colorful model of your dream house!

Skill Level: Moderate

Time Needed: 1 and a half hours

Age(s): 8 to 12

Appropriate For: Birthday

Supplies Needed:

Project Rating:

Use an empty shoe box as the basic structure for your model house.
Paint craft sticks for the outside paneling of the house. Let the paint dry completely.
Glue the craft sticks to the four sides of the shoe box. Let the glue dry completely.
Add details, such as doors, windows, and landscaping, to the outside of the house using Elmer's 3D Washable Paint Pens™ and markers.
Decorate the inside of the shoe box to look like a home. Use carpet and wallpaper scraps for embellishment. Create furniture out of construction paper or cardboard.
Make a roof out of construction paper. Attach the roof to the top of the shoe box with glue. Let the glue dry completely.
Display your model dream house for others to see!

Teaching Tips:

Encourage students to do all of the measuring for this activity. Ask students to measure the sides of the box to determine how many craft sticks or how much construction paper should be used. Have students measure the box and calculate its surface area. Then, have students calculate the volume of the box.
Have students design a floor plan for their dream house on a sheet of paper. Ask students to create a scale for the floor plan and size rooms accordingly. Display students' floor plans beside their model dream houses.
Ask students where they would ideally like to build their dream houses. Have students point out the locations on a classroom map or globe.
Have students write a paragraph about what the word home means to them. Ask students how the word home differs from the word house.