DIY Foam Board Toy Building

Involve your kids in making a custom DIY foam board toy building for their favorite toys. Enjoy this quick and easy build and create a new world of play.

My kids love playing with small figures, animals, and cars. We’ve invested in some building and play sets (and made a few of our own), aiming for simple, open designs to foster imaginative play. Our basic wood dollhouse changes function almost daily, from a horse barn to a car garage to a Paw Patrol headquarters. When the figures overran the house, we decided to create some additional buildings tailored to the kids’ current interests – police and zoo animals.

Foam board is a perfect material for these buildings; it is sturdy and easy to cut, glue and decorate. Also, foam board is inexpensive (especially when available at Dollar Tree). When the kids’ interests change, sometimes in a matter of weeks, the cost to change the building is minimal.

The possibilities for a DIY foam board toy building are limitless. Build any size, shape and layout, or use our basic design and personalize with features such as ramps, stairs, furniture, windows, fences, and walls. We made a police station and a cheetah house. For some other DIY play sets, check out our toy tree house, foam board Encanto Casita, and train table top.

Involve Kids In Making The Foam Board Toy Building

This project is a double win – the kids enjoy and learn from creating the building and then end up with a custom play set for their favorite toys. Kids can help with design and assembly, but should stay away when cutting with a utility knife. Low-temperature hot glue works great to secure the building. Depending on the kids’ age and ability, use discretion in how much they participate in hot gluing. Low-temperature hot glue still gets hot enough to cause a big OUCH, but this project is great for teaching how to use a glue gun and/or wait patiently while the glue quickly dries.

If you’re a fan of foam board, make a DIY foam board piñata!

Here are some more art activities for kids:

• Create Outdoors: Ideas for Kid Art on a Hike
• Paper Mache Pumpkin Decor
• Ikea Kid’s Squeeze Paint Ideas

Tips for Cutting Foam Board

Kids should keep away while the adult uses a sharp utility knife.

Always be careful when using a utility knife. Clear all body parts out of the cut line. I usually cut on the floor and make sure my knees are out of the path of the utility knife. Make sure to close the utility knife any time it is not in use and keep out of kids’ reach.

Protect the work surface. I cut on top of several layers of cardboard.

Use a new, sharp blade to get a clean cut. If blade starts to dull and snag the board, replace with a new blade.

Push the point of the blade all the way through the board, then pull the utility knife along a metal ruler in one smooth motion. A dull blade or multiple cuts may leave jagged edges.

DIY Foam Board Toy Building – Materials

How to Make A DIY Foam Board Toy Building

1. Design the Building

Ask the kiddo to draw the building and include features like furniture and ramps. Depending on the child’s age, the design may consist of unusable scribbles. However, including the child in planning keeps them invested and provides tons of learning opportunities. Take the kiddo’s basic layout and features and scale up the measurements/proportions to usable size. When deciding on finished size, consider the size of the cars or figures using the building.

Our DIY foam board building playset included two floors, each 5 1/2″ tall. We chose floor sizes so we could use just one sheet of foam board: 10″ x 14 1/2″, 7″ x 10″ and 5 1/2″ x 7″.

2. Cut and Glue

Mark cut lines for the base and floors. Place metal ruler over each line and cut using utility knife with sharp blade.

Cut 1″ strips for vertical supports between levels.

Glue 2 supports together for more strength.

Form corners with the doubled supports and reinforce with a line of glue at the joint.

Glue supports to floor and reinforce with a line of glue at joints.

For larger floors, add a doubled support in the middle.

Add glue to support tops and attach second floor, reinforcing joints with a line of glue.

Repeat for second floor, adding corner supports and ceiling.

After completing main structure, add features such as ramps, fences, furniture or stairs. Cut basic shapes from foam board, glue together, then glue into structure.

Reinforce all joints with a line of glue.

A craft embossing heat tool works well to melt away the little glue webs, but isn’t necessary. Don’t get too close to the building and keep the heat gun moving.

3. Add Features

My son’s police station needed a helicopter landing pad, desk, ramp, and parking lot. We added short walls to the ramp and parking lot to hold cars in place.

My daughter designed a ball pit, diving board, and bed for her cheetah house.

4. Decorate DIY Foam Board Toy Building

Depending on your kiddo’s style, leave the foam board toy building plain white or decorate. Add color with markers or tempera paint sticks.

Another fun option is to use self-adhesive vinyl sheets on the floors or wall. Adhesive sheets come in all sorts of colors and fun patterns.

Let us know how your DIY foam board toy building turns out!

This post contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!