Toy-Making in School and Home

by R. K. Polkinghorne; M. I. R. Polkinghorne

For the base cut a square, the side 3 inches (Fig. 176), and to this gum the flanges at L M. Gum the house to the flanges at J K. To make the top stronger, a second square (the side 2½ inches) can be cut; the flanges at L M are gummed to this, and then the house is fastened on.

Other easily made farmhouse models are a hen-coop, a barn, a pigsty, the farmhouse itself, etc.

The Noah's Ark (Plate III). As this is a fairly large toy, it is best made from separate pieces of cardboard hinged together by strips of paper. If it is cut from one or two pieces, the size of the cardboard is somewhat unmanageable.

The following Noah's Ark is of a suitable size for holding cork animals.

Two pieces of cardboard are cut, 8½ inches by 4 inches (Fig. 179). Cut two other pieces, 3½ inches by 6 inches. Mark and cut these out as A and C. In one side, A, a door is cut. A paper-fastener is put in to form the handle. On the other sides windows may be drawn and coloured. When fastening the pieces together the children must be very careful that the bend of the hinge is straight.

Fig. 179

Fig. 179 shows the pieces of the Noah's Ark hinged together. The children will find it easier if they paste the hinges on A and C first and let them dry thoroughly; then they can fasten A to B and C to B and D, and lastly D to A, but B must be firmly hinged to A before C is attached, and so on with the other parts. However, there is plenty of work to be done while the children are waiting for the paste to dry. (In their eagerness to finish toys the children often want to paste or glue too many things together at once.)

For the bottom of the ark a piece of cardboard, 13½ inches by 5 inches, is cut and pointed at each end.

For the roof the children can get the measurements themselves. The long side of the ark is 8½ inches, so that if the roof projects ½ inch on each side of this the length will be 9½ inches. They must measure E F (Fig. 179); this will be about 2½ inches. Now, the roof must cover E F and F G and project about a ½ inch beyond E and G, so that the width of the roof must be 6 inches. Therefore, they must cut a piece of cardboard 9½ inches by 6 inches. Down the middle of this a half cut is made, along which the cardboard is folded. A stronger method is to cut the roof in half and hinge the two pieces together by a piece of paper cut and coloured to represent tiles; thus the roof will open and shut easily without breaking. The roof can be coloured or covered with blue paper.