Table of Contents
Hands-On Projects
 |
In Seymour Simon’s Let’s Try It Out with Towers and Bridges (Simon & Schuster, 2003) young experimenters find out what makes skyscrapers stand up and what makes bridges strong. Activities and info for ages 4-8. |
 |
From the Smithsonian, Brian Elling’s Build It! (Penguin, 2017) is a great architectural activity book filled with puzzles and projects for ages 8-12. Chapters include “Pyramid Pointers,” “Storm the Castle,” and “Which Way to the Winchester Mystery House?” “Tips from the Experts” feature famous architects. (Consumable.)
|
 |
Mario Salvadori’s The Art of Construction: Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers and Architects (Chicago Review Press, 1990) provides basic information and many projects for building models of houses, skyscrapers, bridges, and more. For ages 9-14.
|
 |
From 3DUX Design, the Iconic Home Architecture Set has geometric cardboard shapes and connectors with which kids can build creative houses and other structures. |
 |
With CubicFun National Geographic 3-D puzzles, kids and families can assemble their own versions of Notre Dame, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, London’s Tower Bridge, and more. A nice mix of geography, architecture, and problem-solving.
|
|
From the San Francisco Exploratorium, Structures Around the World has complete instructions for building projects for elementary-level students using such readily available materials as straws, pins, bamboo garden stakes, clay, and paper. |
|
 |
See instructions for building a recycled cardboard castle here. Start here – and go on to invent your own!
|
|
Architecture-based projects from Kinderart include city block painting, milk carton houses, architectural shapes collages, and a “Four Orders of Architecture” activity. |
|
 |
By Lee J. Ames, Draw 50 Buildings and Other Structures (Watson-Guptili, 2014) has detailed step-by-step instructions for drawing everything from an igloo to the Taj Mahal. For ages 9 and up.
|
 |
There are dozens of architecture-themed coloring books for a wide range of skill levels. See, for example, A.G. Smith’s The American House (Dover, 2016), Abi Daker’s Landmarks of the World (Lark Crafts, 2016), Dennis Casey’s Stained Glass Window Designs of Frank Lloyd Wright (Dover, 1997). A.G. Smith’s Victorian Houses (Dover, 2001), or – for a real challenge – Steve McDonald’s Fantastic Structures (Chronicle Books, 2016), for which you’ll need steady hands and very sharp colored pencils. |
 |
Daniel Reif’s 3-D Home Builder Kit (Dan Reif; Adventure Publications) includes poster-board building materials, grid paper, and complete instructions for building a ¼-inch scale model of a house of your own design. For teens and adults.
|