How to Make Tiny Log Cabins
Tiny log cabins are fun for children to make, especially around President's Day when they learn about Abraham Lincoln. Tiny log cabins can also make great little villages or structures to accent toy train tracks. These log cabins are made out of easy-to-find materials and can be made at home for a rainy day project or with a group at school or at a club. Parents or other adults will be needed to help with the cutting.
Things You'll Need
- Popscile sticks
- Glue (wood glue or white glue)
- Construction paper
- Exacto knife
- Plastic wrap
- Tape
- Small cardboard box
Instructions
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1
Use the cardboard box as a skeleton for your house frame. Draw doors and windows onto the box using a pencil. Cut the doors and windows out using an Exacto knife.
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2
Cut pieces of plastic wrap that are slightly bigger than the openings of your windows. Open the top of the box so you can reach inside. Make a line of glue all the way around the openings of your windows. Stretch the plastic wrap over the openings of the windows. You may need to hold the plastic wrap in place with tape until the glue dries.
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3
Cut several of your Popsicle sticks into smaller lengths with the Exacto knife. These lengths will fit between the ends of the walls and the doors and windows.
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4
Starting at the bottom of the box, glue Popsicle sticks to the box as if you were building a log cabin from the ground up.
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5
To make a pitched roof, lay out five or six Popsicle sticks next to each other to form one half of the roof. Glue two Popsicle sticks crosswise to the roof halves and allow them to dry completely before handling them. Cut two triangles out of cardboard and glue them to the front and back of your cabin. The halves of the roof will lay against these triangles. Glue the halves of the roof to the triangles. You may need to brace or support the roof while the glue dries.
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6
Make a door out of cardboard or construction paper. Fold back one edge of it to make a hinge. Glue the hinge to the inside of the cardboard box. You cabin is now finished.
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Tips & Warnings
Paint your Popsicle sticks brown before building your cabin.
References
- Photo Credit glue bottle image by Bruce MacQueen from Fotolia.com
