Gather a group of potentially bored kids in an open space with tools and a heap of sawmill scraps, add summer vacation and what do you have? Hutopolis!
A village of eight huts was constructed during two weeks in July from timber slabs from an area sawmill, salvaged wood and found items. Each hut is different, based on the children’s design, with odd angles and shapes, rooftop lookout posts, windows, doors, ladders and a fire pit under a homemade shelter in the village center.
[via Bill]
10 thoughts on “Kids build the village of Hutopolis”
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That’s freaking awesome and I want to do something just like it.
This is truly awesome. Something children need and can’t get nowadays.
I would like my son to take part in something exactly like this when he is older.
Unfortunately, there are assuredly now several types of liability and injury lawyers drooling over the pictures of this project, insurance lawyers cringing and canceling policies, and at least one local government regulatory body going spastic. Guaranteed it won’t be allowed to continue one way or the other.
this story totally reminds me of a book that I loved to read as a young’un. In the book, the main character runs away from home and builds himself a house in the wilderness. Then when other children run away too, they end up in his glen, and he builds them little houses according to their interests (e.g., the girl who likes rabbits gets a house that’s partially underground that incorporates a rabbit den).
And now I can’t remember the name of the book! I’m going to have to call my mother now to see if she recalls it.
the kids are great
I teach music lessons, and a lot of my students are between 8 and 14 years old. Parents are always asking me to reschedule lessons, because their kids have other activities. Today’s kids are going to sports practice, after school clubs, dance classes, church programs, and all sorts of organized activities. Kids today don’t have any time where they have to rely on themselves, and figure out how to have fun on their own. This program is exactly what today’s kids need. This builds character, teaches a useful skill, and encourages self reliance.