puzzle piece

Click to solve our online jigsaw puzzles!

puzzle piece

How to Build a Colonial Model House

You can use a Colonial house model as a display when giving a historical report.
colonial kitchen image by george mai from Fotolia.com

When learning about Colonial history, students might want to know how the people in Colonial times lived. One way to do this is to create a shoebox model of a Colonial house, complete with furniture and features present in an actual Colonial house. You can make a Colonial house model out of basic craft supplies that can be purchased at most craft supply stores.

Place an empty shoebox onto a table.

Cut four pieces of cardboard into sections that measure 6 inches wide by 4 inches long.

Glue the cardboard vertically inside the shoebox as walls to create separate rooms.

Paint the inside of the box. Paint on Colonial details such as a large hearth fireplace, wooden spoons on the wall and braided rugs on the floor.

Paint the outside of the box and top of the box white, which will resemble the white saltbox Colonial homes that were present during Colonial times.

Paint details onto the front, sides and back of the box, like windows and doors.

Paint four dowels with white acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry completely. These will be the Colonial columns of the Colonial home.

Hot glue the Colonial columns vertically to the front of the shoebox, spacing them out evenly.

Place dollhouse furniture inside the rooms of the shoe box.

Place the lid of the shoebox onto the Colonial home model, and display it.

Things You'll Need:

  • Shoebox
  • Cardboard
  • 1/2 inch wooden dowels, 4 inches long each
  • Hot glue gun
  • Hot glue stick
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paint brush
  • Scissors
  • Doll house furniture
Our Passtimes