#1206 – ArchiTek by Dominique Ehrhard & Schiffer Publishing

ArchiTek
Designed by Dominique Ehrhard
5 1/16″ x 5 1/8″
Schiffer Publishing 10/28/2019
978-0-7643-5827-2
118 Pages Ages 5—8

Genre: Activity “Board Book”
Themes: Construction, Creativity

Synopsis

An introduction to architectural creation, the 95 precut cardboard elements in this book can be combined in an infinite variety of ways to build all sorts of fantastical structures. Follow the full-color idea diagrams to create more than 20 unique projects, then disassemble them and try something different. Developing direction-following skills and 3-D creativity, this kit allows young architects to both learn traditional design rules and break them. Alternate the color and black-and-white facade graphics to customize your creations—no glue or fasteners needed, just slot into place! The vibrant cutouts increase spatial visualization skills while giving future architects first-hand experience with color, form, and pattern. <small>(from publisher)</small>

Opening Lines

Detach all the cardboard pieces from the book and build the models, following the instructions.

Why I like this book

ArchiTek is an interesting book for kindergarten and older students. It was easy to punch out the 95 pre-cut cardboard pieces. Once out of the book, I stored the remainder of the book and all the pieces in a thick freezer bag. I also kept the triangles left from punching out some of the pieces. While not notched, these pieces can become roofs or other objects. Very little cardboard is wasted.

Each piece is thick and sturdy—perfect for little hands (and my big, clumsy hands). Though the pieces are not very small, Schiffer Publishing suggests keeping ArchiTek away from children age three and under. Considering how pre-K children tend to checkout an object’s texture with their mouth, this is sound advice. Like other building kits, ArchiTek helps kids with eye-hand coordination, following instructions, and using their imagination and creativity.

The model I put together, called Techoton, required 38 pieces. I needed one additional large piece than was in the kit. All the other models have the correct number and style of pieces needed (I double-checked). It was not difficult to inter-lock the pieces after a couple of tries. Kids will catch on quickly. No adult supervision needed.

[my model] Techoton: required 38 pieces

Kids love to build and ArchiTek will keep the—and their adults—constructing creative buildings and other objects for hours.

Kids can create the twenty models in either color or black-and-white (which can be colored with permanent markers, if so desired). Each notched piece inter-locks with ease (no glue or other adhesive needed). Between the included model instructions and a child’s imagination, ArchiTek contains unlimited possibilities. Kids who like to build with Legos,^®Magnetic Kits, or even good old-fashioned Lincoln Logs;^® find construction fascinating; or wonder how things are made, will love ArchiTek.

But . . . a little larger “book” would have an empty inner opening perfect for storing the pieces, once punched out. As it is now, the large squares and the curved pieces cannot fit inside the (now) empty book. (A suggestion, not a criticism,)

Available at Amazon