Welcome back to Summer Wonder at Home Creativity Challenges! Every week until August 31, there will be a new challenge for you to build, create, design or discover with your family using materials you have at home. This week's challenge is building your own fort!
Throughout history, people fortified their land to defend it from enemies during war. Forts were constructed in different shapes and sizes, depending on the landscape and sight lines to oncoming dangers. The design and construction of forts was very important because they were built to protect the people inside. Wood, stones, rocks, cement and other materials made them strong and secure.
Engineers and architects design and create all kinds of structures and systems for different purposes. The next time you take a walk in your neighbourhood, take a look at the different types of buildings around you. What do you think they are made of? What shapes do they have? What are they used for?
Think like an engineer and use your imagination to build your own amazing fort at home! As you are building your fort, think about these questions:
- What does the inside and outside of your fort look like?
- Do you think using different types of materials to build your fort would make it better? Imagine what you could use to make your fort stronger.
- Does it help to have more than one person helping to build the fort?
- How many people can fit inside? Can it fit two, three or more? Does the shape of your fort need to change to fit more people?
You can visit many historical forts around the world, including one right here in Toronto called Fort York. It's a National Historic Site, and we named a library branch after it, too!
There are so many different types of buildings and structures that you can discover. Check out our Creativity Challenge to build a monument. Interested in learning more about the pyramids of Egypt? We've got answers on Wonder Wall!
Explore some cool books about building:
Big Book of Building by Marne Ventura
Build a Shelter Your Way! by Elsie Olson
Build Your Own Fort, Igloo, and Other Hangouts by Tammy Enz
Fort-Building Time by Megan Wagner Lloyd and Abigail Halpin
Jasper & Ollie Build a Fort by Alex Willan
We'd love to see what you've created! Ask a grown-up to share a picture of your fort with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by using the hashtag #TPLSummerWonder.
Try all the other Creativity Challenges!
Design a Dinosaur
Every Bird Needs a Nest
Create a Time Machine
Dream Library
Graffiti Prints
Animal Sun Print
Build a Monument
I Remember!