How to build a castle
From the Duplo masterpieces built as a pre-schooler to the cereal box sculptures created in school -building castles is a past-time that crops up at several stages throughout childhood.
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Whether you want to help them harness a love of castles or create a model with wow factor for a history lesson, we've got all the creative fodder you need right here.
Get inspired
If you're feeling a bit baffled by building a castle and aren't quite sure where to start, a trip to a local castle or fortress will give you an extra dose of inspiration. Take some paper and pencils along and ask your child to make sketches of their favourite parts. You can also make collective notes listing any interesting features and perhaps use a camera to take snaps. This is often the best way to record the shape and style of a castle and you can use your images and sketches to help you decide on a design.
Another idea is to check your book shelves and local library for castle stories, pictures and information. There are stacks of really lovely children's stories that will grab their attention and get them excited about castles, whilst younger children can use them as a basis for Lego castles or big structures made from building blocks!
Our ideas below can be made as easy or complex as you like and are easily adapted to suit different age groups. The Internet is also a useful tool for ideas or you can chat to other mums about castles in the coffeehouse - there are hundreds of ways to create something unique and your child will probably have certain ideas of their own they'd like to try.
Netmum's suggestions
Try the following tips from mum's in the Coffeehouse:
Use toilet roll holders (cardboard ones) for the towers and paint them grey with detail stonework and a window etc. For the main castle use a tissue box standing up and get an extra bit of card to make a drawbridge. Paint it all to match in grey and stone coloured. If you want it to be extra special add a moat using a large bit of paper coloured blue for water around castle and green for grass. - Helen
As a History teacher, I suggest a Motte and Bailey castle. These were the castles built by the Normans after their invasion in 1066. At first these were wooden, for speed of building, then gradually replaced by stone. - Rachel C
Just type the design of the castle you're after into google, followed by 'How to build a castle'. This should come up with various different options, including pictures, instructions and information on what you need to make it. - Collette M
How to make a cardboard castle
What you'll need:
- Strong card
- Grey/black paints
- A ruler & pencil
- String
1. Lay a flat piece of cardboard on the table and use a pencil and ruler to outline the main exterior of the castle. Each of the four walls should be about 30cm wide and about 50cm in height (so your card should be 120cm wide by 50cm in total). Once you've cut it out, mark where each wall ends and make a fold so you have a square shaped castle. Use pencil to mark the door and cut it out with the scissors. You can go for a basic rectangular door or make it a little more medieval looking with an arch shape.
2. To stick it to the base, snip a 3 cm incision on the bottom of each fold and fold back the flaps. These can then be glued down to the cardboard base to make it sturdier. The turrets are easy to do - just use pencil to indicate where they are and let your child cut them out.
3. Now you have your basic model, your child can start painting and decorating it. Grey paint with black lines for the bricks looks really authentic or you could try covering it with black tissue paper and using grey felt or piping for a more dramatic effect. There are lots of other ways to enhance its look - try making a door using pin holes and string to create a draw-bridge effect or mount the base of the castle onto a paper mache mound to give it a Motte & Bailey effect.
How to make a toilet roll Fortress
What you'll need:
- Toilet rolls (around 20)
- Glue
- Card
- Felt tip pens/paints/craft materials
- Hole punch
1. Glue a set of three loo roll tubes (stood upright) together using sellotape on the inside (or outside if it's too fiddly) to seal them firmly together. Now repeat this process three times so you have four pillars for your fortress. Create a 3cm incision on the inner section of the top and base loo roll of each pillar and slot a sheet of card between them to make the four walls (the card will need to be pre-cut with 2.8cm slots that fit into the incisions you've made in your pillars).
2. Now use a ruler and pencil to mark the doorway and let your child cut it out with scissors. Use a hole punch to create holes on the bottom side of the cut out door and use string to attach it to the entrance. Cut out some smaller rectangular shapes and attach them to the top of the turrets to make flags - you can pre-design these with felt tip pens and little symbols to signify your child's imaginary battalion! Now all that's left is to decorate with pens, paints and other craft materials to give it a unique finish.
How to make a Motte & Bailey castle
What you'll need:
- 2 card hats (one cone shaped, the other a flat boater style)
- Newspaper (ripped or cut into thick shreds)
- A bowl of glue mixed with water (to make paper mache)
- Paints
- Thin sheet of card
1. Use a thick piece of cardboard for your base and stick the two hats down firmly (they should be around 2 feet apart). Now you can start on the paper mache, dipping each shred generously into the glue and plastering it onto the card hats. Once the entire structure is covered (including the base) you'll need to set it aside for a few hours until it is completely dry.
2. Whilst you're waiting, cut a castle tower out of card (to go on top of the Motte) and several little houses, keeps and buildings to fill the Bailey. When the paper mache has stiffened and is dry to touch, your child can start painting it. Go for a green base to give it a grass-style effect, with a bit of brown mixed in to give it a more natural finished look. Now leave the paint to dry and start on the buildings. Let your child choose the colour - grey with pencilled in bricks is great for the castle whilst light brown and a mixture of blacks and charcoals are great for the buildings. Once these are dry, use strong glue to stick them into place.
3. Ask your child what they'd like to use to make the steps up to the Motte. Perhaps small match boxes will work, even Lego bricks or real stones or pebbles they've picked up from the beach? Alternatively you can keep things simple by using folded card mounted onto the hill - whatever your child prefers!
How to make a Sugar cube castle
What you'll need:
- Sugar cubes (a couple of boxes of chunky cubes should suffice)
- Quick-drying Glue
- Card (for flags) and some cocktail sticks
- Craft materials and paints
- Grey felt (optional)
1. Decide on a castle design and start building up your sugar cubes, gluing each one carefully as you go. Once you have your basic structure. let the glue set for a while and start making your flags. These can be made from felt or painted onto card whilst sticky stars, glitter and ribbons will add to the finished result and give a lovely colourful effect. The flags can then be attached to wire or cocktail sticks and carefully slotted in between the sugar cubes on the top of the castle walls.
2. Cover your finished castle with grey felt or simply leave it white for more of a fairy tale castle effect.
Castle role-play
The warmer weather is prime opportunity to get outdoors for some medieval fun. You can take some blankets and dressing up clothes to your local castle for an exciting medieval-inspired lunch or simply spend the afternoon in your back garden enjoying some castle role-play.
The Internet is flooded with information on how the inhabitants of castles lived so it's a great opportunity to educate the kids and have some fun at the same time.
Find more ideas at buildmodelcastles.com or join the chat and share ideas with other mums.
Looking for more crafting inspo? Check out these ideas or swap tips with other parents in our forum below.
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