Paper House

As part of my undergraduate studies in Family and Child Psychology, I took a course focused upon the psychology of exceptional children. One day during class we were asked by our professor to draw a picture of our home. I spent 20 minutes drawing a perfect blueprint of my house, room by room, nearly to a T scaled down with a little key to show my estimate of square footage. When asked to present to the class first I proudly showed my detailed work. Then the rest of the class stood up to show colorful drawings of happy families, blue front doors, white picket fences, and flowers lining the pathway. I had grossly misunderstood the assignment for the day as was slightly embarrassed until my professor pointed out what it is that a drawing of a home can show about someone. Detail, structure, order are dominate areas in my personality that softened over the years and I have grown in grace but back them I fear they were headstrong. My professor, being her first year teaching this course, also assured me she would adapt her assignment for the next year and would ask students to draw a picture of their family and home because the purpose was to see personality as it relates to family as it can be very telling of a child's view of home life. 

Last week, just for fun, Shane and I made a paper house. In now way am I concerned that he would draw prison bars on his window and paint the sky black showing that his view of home life is horrendous but I was curious how he would illustrate his home. Right now, at the age of three, home is his world so I was so delighted to see that he picked happy colors, filled the house with pictures of our family members, and added baby Jesus and a plate of spaghetti inside. The outside had a big clock, a bug, and some trees. My mama heart was happy that our home is filled with God, good food, and people that love him. I loved this craft and hearing Shane talk about what makes up his home. 

Supplies

white graft glue

markers

magazines and pictures 

two sheets of construction paper

child safety scissors

Directions

1. Lay the two sheets of paper on top of each other. Use scissors to cup out the shape of a house from both sheets.

2. Cut out windows and a front door from only one sheet.

3. Select pictures from magazines or pictures that most represent your family to decorate the house with. Ideas might be faces of people, furniture, food, or pictures of an activity such as books for reading. 

3. Glue together the two paper houses and glue the cut out pictures into the windows and doorway of the house. Use markers to add details such as shutters, a roof, flowers, or doorknobs.