Design a home for an animation's main character

What can I use if I can't find thick cardboard, a ruler, or glue?

If you don’t have thick cardboard for the base and walls, use cereal‑box or shoebox cardboard, and if you lack a ruler or glue use a book edge to mark lines and clear tape to attach folds.

My walls won't stay upright or the seams come apart—what should I do?

If walls fall over or seams come apart after you cut and fold the walls, score fold lines with a blunt knife, reinforce glued joints with extra tape or hot glue, and hold pieces in place with clothespins while drying.

How can I adapt the activity for different ages?

For younger kids, pre‑draw and pre‑cut the base, walls, and simple furniture so they can glue and decorate with markers, while older kids can use a ruler to scale a detailed floor plan, make precise interior walls and a functional secret trapdoor, and use stronger adhesives.

How can we extend or personalize the miniature house project?

To extend the project, add LED tea‑light wiring under the floor panels, fabric scraps for rugs, paint or patterned paper for wallpaper, and make the roof removable so you can animate your character and then share the finished miniature home on DIY.org.