This is a record of a school assignment ‘Shelter Project’ my daughter worked on at the end of third grade. It was a traditional assignment at Waldorf school, and was a big project for the children to conclude their 3rd grade year.
After nine-year change, third grade is a time of developmental change in one’s sense of self.
Shelter = home is a place to nurture oneself; it is a safe place apart from the world. By building a shelter during this time of experiencing separation from the world, they can build their own sanctuary and nurture the connection between themselves and the outside world. Through this project, they fulfill their growing interest in building their own sanctuary.
The environment is an important factor in building a shelter. At the school, students learned what kind of shelters have been created by what kind of environment. Then, they would actually assemble a shelter according to the environment of their own choosing.
I felt excited just by hearing and imagining the task. It was like assembling their own ideal house. Thinking about the historical background, I imagine what it would be like if I were here.
The environment my daughter chose was Rainforest. She researched subtropical rainforest environments and decided to build a treehouse suited to that environment.
She decided to use houseplants as rainforest trees and build a house on them. First, she would make a sturdy floor as a foundation, exterior walls, and roof. Then she would make the stairs connecting each level, and make the necessary furniture. Finally, she worked on the decorations that would create a comfortable space. All materials are from nature, such as branches and nuts found during walks. The treasures of nature collected on our walks have been useful.Finally she created a treehouse that lives together with plants. The plants are growing and growing their leaves from the side where we are making it.

Draw a Sketch

This assignment began with drawing an image of a shelter. A treehouse built in two floors on top of the plant. Based on this sketch, she set to work.

Instructions for making

Step 1. Make the Floor

The foundation is especially important when it comes to building a house. I constructed the two-level house in her sketch using wood slices and bamboo sticks -plant support stakes. This process required adult help as I used a carving knife.
When the floor is ready, she spread moss on top of the soil so that the environment around the house would be more suitable.

Step 2. Make the ladder

Cut a tree branch to make a ladder. A glue gun is useful for gluing. The tip of the glue gun gets hot, so be careful when children use it.

Step 3. Make the Roof

The first floor roof is made of pine cone. She took the parts apart one by one and arranged them like a tile roof.
For the second roof, she cut tree branches and arranged them on cardboard.
The walls are made of cardboard and tree branches for the first and second floors.

Step 4. Make the Furnitures

Make the necessary furniture. Glue wood slices and wood beads together to make a table. The bookshelf is made of cardboard and wood beads. The bookshelves were filled with books made of paper folded into bellows. A card board frame is decorated with a picture of a bee.
Acorn caps are used for lanterns and bowls for fruit made by beeswax as well. Felt was sewn as a rug, and made pillows out of needle felt. Also, if it put dried flowers in the wood beads, it can be used as vase.

Step 5. Exterior

Next, she focused on the exterior. There is no electricity in the treehouse. So she prepared a fire pit. There is no bedroom, so she wove a hammock. There is also have a swing for enjoy. On the leaves, the bird is warming their eggs.

Step 6. Completed

The dreamy treehouse is now complete, and can be enjoyed from each direction, 360 degrees. Here are some photos to show you the particular points of interest.

Welcome to the Tree House.
The entrance has a handwritten nameplate on a wooden plate. Behind the fire pit is a swing. Please go up the stairs to room.

First Floor
The dining room is the main space. On a wooden table there is tomato soup and red wine. There are pictures on the back wall. Please take the stairs leading to the second floor.

Second Floor
Upstairs is a more relaxed space. The bookshelves are filled with books and the cushions and rugs make it a relaxing space. I love the acorn cap lantern idea.

I am very proud of my daughter who had so much fun completing this project. In fact, most of the work was assigned as homework, and she worked on it at home for several days after back home.
I gave her some advice, but she did almost all of the work herself. My 9-year-old daughter loves handwork and plants more than anything else.
I hope that even in the fourth grade, she will continue to be imaginative and have fun with things.

この投稿をInstagramで見る

tomoko d.(@our___table)がシェアした投稿