![]() ![]() Next, mark off lines roughly 1.5 to 2 inches apart on the tubes. We found that using packing tape (affiliate link) worked best to hold the paper blocks together. Use tape to secure along the entire edge. (You’ll also need a pair of scissors to cut the blocks.)įirst, roll the cardstock into a paper tube. Cardstock in a variety of colors (affiliate link).You’ll need just two materials to make this set of DIY building blocks: These DIY building blocks were super easy to make with quick preparation. We came up with this fine motor activity one rainy day and decided that our paper blocks would be fun to keep on hand all winter when we are looking for indoor play ideas. These DIY building blocks can be made anywhere you find paper and tape, so they make a great option for travel or spur-of-the-moment entertainment! ![]() In her free time, she writes children’s books in hopes of publishing someday.These DIY building blocks are an easy way to get the kids playing and creating, dreamed up by Colleen, a Hands On As We Grow contributor.īuilding with blocks is such a fun way to work on fine motor skills with kids. ![]() Andie strives to be honest in her approach and experiences in parenting to let other moms know that they are not alone in their struggle. Her blog, Crayon Freckles , focuses on creative learning and play ideas, as well as parenting topics. ![]() Why do you think it’s important for kids to do activities like this?Īndie Jaye is a former preschool teacher turned stay-at-home mom of 3 kiddos. What name will you give your skyscraper? Why? What city will you build your structure in? Why? If each cube represents x-amount of floors, how many total floors will your structure have? If you build it over, what will you do differently? What was an important factor in building your structure? To further this activity, here are some conversation questions to ask your children: After this, he deemed that he thought he wanted to be an architect. The final product stands ten stories and 49″ tall and takes about two hours from start to finish! It was a great way to allow my son to take the lead in a project, assert himself, and think outside the box. He decided that a four-sided apex complete with a red “light” to ward off planes should be added and the result is amazing. Once all the cubes were stacked and glued, we then decided that the top of our tower needed something else to top it off. There were some places where we had spaces where the pieces didn’t meet, so this was remedied by breaking a stick in half and inserting it to make up the difference. Because the cubes were not perfectly symmetrical, it took some manipulating to get them to fit together without causing too much of a lean. Referring to the V-style seismic bracing we had seen in an earthquake retrofitting video improvements were made.Īfter ten cubes were constructed with braces, we began assembling the skyscraper. My son deemed that we needed to add a brace to the side. Even with the hardened hot glue, it was flimsy and wobbly. (Yay for one-on-one time!) We decided to construct multiple boxes that would serve as floors to stack on top of one another.Īfter the first box was constructed, it was apparent that it needed something more. My son led the project, and I served as an extra set of hands. It was interesting to see the thought that went into creating this project. We also watched several great videos using the search terms “skyscraper videos for kids.” It allowed my son to see all the different factors that engineers and architects must consider when building these multi-floor wonders.Īfter all of our research, my son set out to construct his own skyscraper. These buildings are awe-inspiring in themselves, but reading about how long it takes to build them and how much materials they require had my son blown away. A few of the major skyscrapers we looked at were The Sears Tower, The Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, The Transamerica Pyramid, and the Shanghai Tower. To kick off our skyscraper building, we spent some time reading books from the library and Googling images and videos of skyscrapers. All the makings of a great STEM activity for kids! It involves teamwork, problem-solving, and some math skills. National Skyscraper Day is September 3 rd, the birthday of Louis Henry Sullivan, the “father of skyscrapers.” To celebrate, we decided to explore all there is to know about skyscrapers, including building one of our own! This activity turns out to be more than just a creative building exercise. ![]()
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