Build your own Troll House

Activities

Down the stony path, past the leafy bushes and through the arching oak trees there’s a happy stream giggling along. It flows gently under a little bridge, and it is just here that a grumpy little troll lives. His house is made of mud and stone, his door and window are made of the finest sticks and he has a sycamore leaf roof covered with luscious moss.

COLLECT TOGETHER

From nature

Stones
Leaves
Moss
10 small sticks (each about a grown-up’s finger-length)

From the cupboard

1 wooden bead
String
Scissors
Masking tape

HOW TO MAKE IT

To make the door, cut a piece of string of about two arm’s-lengths.
Tie a fish-on-a-dish knot (clove hitch) onto the end of one of your sticks.
Line up five sticks next to each other to make the door.
Lash the sticks to each other at one end of your door, weaving your string under and over each stick in turn.
Tighten the string in between the sticks by winding the tail end of the string around each of the joints between the sticks.
Repeat steps 2-5 to lash together the other end of the door.
Thread the bead onto a small length of string. Attach this to one of the sticks where the troll’s door handle should be. Tie a knot to secure.
To make the window, take three sticks and make a triangle shape, or take just one bendy stick and make a circle-shaped window. Fix them with tape.
Take two sticks and snap them into the right length to fit tight inside the window frame, and push them into place to make the windowpanes.
Prop up the door, and hook your window onto a stone, a stick or a small branch, or just push it into the mud. Now your troll can keep a look-out for goats.

How many Billy Goats Gruff go trip-trapping over your bridge?

˜Too many!’ says the grumpy old troll!

Hope you enjoy making your very own Troll House!