Fairy Houses and Gnome Homes- Drawings & Sculptures

What could be more fun than fairy houses and gnome homes?  I don’t know, but let me know if you find out!  I’ve discovered that kids love 1) Open-ended projects  2) Getting to choose from a huge pile of random, colorful materials  3) Miniature things   4) Using their imagination.   This project is a winner for all of these reasons.

I saw a question on an art teacher Facebook group which reminded me of this project my 4th/5th grade students did last year.  Someone asked if anyone had done a fairy project before.  I was all set to share this from my blog, but then I realize I had never written up the post!  So, here is a quick overview of how we made our little “houses”.

The students first made drawings of imaginative fairy houses, gnome homes or ogre caves (that was the idea of one boy who always likes things a little creepy-magical).

I had several books and images for reference including:

Ralph Masiello’s Fairy Drawing Book

How to Draw 101 Fairies

How to Draw Fairies and Mermaids (Usborne Activities)

After kids drew their homes, they used all sorts of random materials to build miniature dwellings for their magical beings.  The actual houses did not have to look anything like their initial drawings.

Some of the materials I had available include:

• cardboard
• paper cups
• Model Magic
• plasticine clay
• fake flowers
• artificial grasses, moss, etc.
• gems
• pinecones
• seashells
• acorns
• cardboard tubes/cones
• pebbles
• fabric
• feathers
• sticks
• clothespins

When I teach this project again, I will emphasize the structural aspects and demonstrate using popsicle sticks and other wooden pieces first.  I had all the materials out, so many kids jumped to the decorating portion and had fun putting flowers everywhere.  We had a lot of rounded huts and domes.  It’s not a bad thing, but I think we could have focused more on the structure with sticks and wood first before adding the decorations.

Things I love about this project include:

• the wide variety of creative results!
• individual problem solving-  no direct steps were given, so students had to come up with their OWN solutions to the challenge.
• the project naturally has many extensions- After drawing the fairy house, they could practice drawing fairies. You could take them on a nature walk to find materials.  The kids could make the sculptures as elaborate or simple as they wanted. They could go on to embellish the “landscaping”.  When finished, kids could make little peg dolls to go in the houses.
• We used up many donated items.  Most of these items were either found in nature or donated.  I think the only thing I purchased for this project was the glue and the Model Magic.