The whole point was to do a project together. Something that excited both of us.

So summer of 2023 we started our dollhouse and months later, this still holds true.

We enjoy this bonding activity that allows us to be busy with our hands and push the imagination a little bit every time. I deliberately use recycled materials to encourage our daughter to stretch her idea about everyday things and how we can re-imagine anything. The sustainability or envrionmental lesson is a nice bonus.

There are easier projects out there for sure, and on some days I need to remind myself why we DIY anything. Here are ways to reframe when projects like this start to lean towards “chore”:

• “It’s time-consuming.” –> It’s wonderful hours of non-agenda, non-gadget play.
• “It’s not perfect-looking.” –> It’s handmade and spirit-filled work. The delight is in the making.
• “We can just buy a dollhouse.” –> We strategize and design all the little details. It’s very intentional.

This is an open-ended work that will just keep getting upgrades when inspiration hits. It’s become the default art project in our home, and admittedly I do a little dance of joy every time I hear my daughter say, “Don’t throw that! I can use it for my dollhouse.”

How to DIY a Dollhouse

Project start: July 2023 – ongoing

Materials We Use:

• For the base:
  • Egg Trays, toy boxes, pizza boxes, cake boxes, milk cartons, medicine boxes
  • Barbeque Sticks for support
  • Scratch paper / used bond paper to cover small boxes as furniture
  • Tissue for papier-mache
• For decorating:
  • Colored Felt
  • Colorful pages from Activity books and coloring books
  • Stickers and Paint
• White Glue

Updates: