How to Build a Laura Ingalls Home Out of Popsicle Sticks

Pioneers like the Ingalls family lived in simple dwellings, in often harsh environments.

Laura Ingalls was born in Wisconsin, but later emigrated to Kansas. The home Laura Ingalls spent much of her younger life was in the Dakota Territory, in a cabin built by her father. Later, Ingalls married Almanzo Wilder, and eventually chronicled her life in the famous "Little House" books. The Ingalls home in South Dakota was a simple cabin built in three parts. First a "half house" with an open end was constructed. This was expanded into a full house and later an addition was added. The entire home can be reconstructed with Popsicle sticks and hot glue.

Things You'll Need

• 1 jar Popsicle sticks
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Black marker

Instructions

1. Glue two Popsicle sticks together so that the ends overlap and they form one long stick. Repeat seven times so that you have eight long sticks. Separate these into pairs.

2. Place two of the long sticks parallel to each other. Glue a stick in between them so that each end is stuck to one of the longs sticks with little overlap. Glue another stick next to the first one; continue until you have created a solid wall of Popsicle sticks. Repeat with each pair of long sticks so that you have four solid walls. These will form the walls and the roof of the house.

3. Place two Popsicle sticks parallel to each other. Glue a third stick in the middle so that the ends are touching the first two sticks. Glue another stick next to the first one and repeat until you have a square wall. Repeat six more times. These will form the end walls of the house, the side walls of the addition, end wall of the addition and the roof of the addition.

4. Stand one of the long walls on its long edge. Stand one of the short walls on it's edge. The lines of parallel sticks should run up and down on both walls. Place the two walls together so that they form a 90 degree angle. Glue where the walls join.

5. Place another long wall on parallel to the first long wall, touching the the short wall at a 90 degree angle. Glue the second long wall to the short wall.

6. Place another short wall parallel to the first short wall, so that its two sides touch the edges of the two long walls. Glue these edges together. This is the main house.

7. Place the three short walls together so that each edge touches the edge of another wall and they form a square with one open end. Glue the edges together. This is the addition to the main house.

8. Push the open end of the addition up against one of the long sides of the main house. Glue the edges where they touch the side of the main house to attach the addition onto the house.

9. Cut two Popsicle sticks in half. Glue two of the halves to the middle of the short walls on the main house. Only the end should be touching the wall of the main house; the rest should stick out. This will support the roof for the main house.

10. Glue one of the other half sticks to the center of the wall of the main house that faces the addition. The stick should stick up in the center of the addition. Glue another directly across from it on the other end wall of the addition. These two sticks will hold up the addition roof.

11. Place the two remaining unattached long walls on top of the main house, so that two corners touch the sticks coming out of the tops of the end walls. This should look like a roof. Glue the two corner points to the roof posts. Glue the long edges together.

12. Place the two remaining unattached short walls on top of the extension, so that the two corners touch the sticks coming out of the tops of the end walls. Glue the corners and the edges where they touch to form the roof of the extension.

13. Draw two small windows high up on the long wall of the main house that is not touching the extension. Use the black marker. Draw a door on one of the ends of the main house.

14. Cut two sticks in half and glue them together so that they form a square. Cut some more sticks in half and glue them across the top to form a small square wall.

15. Place the ends of two sticks up against two corners of the small square. Glue these to the square with a small drop of hot glue so that they are still flexible.

16. Place the edge of the square that is parallel to the edge with the sticks glued to it up against the house, above the door. Glue this edge to the top of the wall. This will form the awning in the front door.

17. Draw a small window on the two sides of the extension with the marker.

References

• Ingalls Homestead: Virtual Visit