Below are some talking points and activities to pass the time, all relating to today’s story.

Talking points

Discuss the ideas presented in the story with your family—at home or over video conferencing. Find ways to involve as many people as possible, especially those who you know are isolated by the lock-down.

• Of the tiny homes in the images, can you pick a favourite? What are some of the features you find appealing? Anything you’d change?
• In what ways do you imagine life might get “easy, and meaningful” as one tiny home owner said it does, after moving into a tiny home? What challenges can you envisage?
• Do you like the idea of letting more nature into our housing spaces – such as by moving the shower and toilet outdoors? What about the idea that architecture should intensify our experience of nature – not shelter us from it? Is this a practical idea? How might it change a family’s/individual’s behaviour?
• Do you think that building your own house would feel meaningful? How might it affect your relationship with where you live? Are there any negatives you can think of?
• What might it be like to live in a community of tiny houses, with shared public spaces in between them? What do you think could be benefits and downsides of this concept?

Activity: Make a Tent

Create a tiny home on your living room floor with this amazing tent!

You will need:

• 4x 1.5m battens (drilled holes in each, one top and one bottom, to insert dowels)
• 3x 1.2m dowels
• Paint in your choice of colours
• Calico or an old sheet; 1.5m length, 1m width
• Sewing kit

Step One: Paint the battens and dowels and leave to dry.

Step Two: Paint a pattern onto the calico or sheet. In these pictures, potato printing was used; cut a shape such as a star in relief on one half of a potato, dip it in paint and stamp it repeatedly over the fabric.)

Step Three: Make an A frame with the dowels and pine boards. Get it to the width and height you’d like it.

Step Four: Place the (dried) calico on top of the tent, and make each side taut. Sew along the bottom of the tent to secure it to the dowel on each side. Ask someone to hold the frame while you do it.

Step Five: Fill the tent with cushions, fairy lights or bunting and have fun!

Send us a picture of your tent!