Foam Board Encanto Casita
Involve your Encanto-loving kiddos in making a foam board Encanto Casita. Create a custom playset for Mirabel, Isabela, Antonio, and the rest of the Encanto characters.
Not surprisingly, we love Encanto – the movie, soundtrack, and characters. My daughter received some Encanto figures for her birthday and plays with them everywhere, especially Isabela – her favorite. We figured it was time to give them a home – and nothing less than Casita felt right!
Not only did we make Casita – we also made an Isabela inspired dress. Of course she wanted to wear it while helping build Casita.
Foam board is a great building material; it is sturdy and easy to cut, glue, and decorate. Also, foam board is inexpensive (especially when available at Dollar Tree) and forgiving.
The general process for making Casita is the same as for our foam board toy building: plan, cut foam board, glue, and decorate. For the foam board Encanto Casita, we used a more complex design and specific features to capture Casita’s character, varied levels, and bright colors. For some other DIY ideas, check out our toy tree house, train table top, and DIY puzzle board.
Involve Kids in Making a Foam Board Encanto Casita
This project is a double win – the kids enjoy and learn from creating the building and then end up with a custom Casita playset. Kids are great planners and designers. Explain that their design will be used for inspiration, but the finished project may look a little different. Ask what features the kiddo wants in Casita and brainstorm how to make those features. Give kids freedom to decorate with markers, stickers, and self-adhesive vinyl.
Keep kids a safe distance away when using the sharp utility knife. Use your discretion as to how much kids should help, if at all, with hot glue. My kids direct the design and hold pieces together after I glue. Both kids like to try using the glue gun, so we work together to make sure the glue ends up in the right place and the kids don’t touch the tip or glue.
My son wanted to create his own project. While we worked on Casita, he worked on a foam board jet airplane and landing pad.
If you’re a fan of foam board, make a DIY foam board piñata!
Check out some more ideas to create with kids:
- Kid Summer Sunflower Activities
- Ikea Kid’s Squeeze Paint Ideas
- DIY Kid Thank You Cards
- Create Outdoors: 5 Ideas for Kid Art on a Hike
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. 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 or self-healing mat.
- 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.
Foam Board Encanto Casita – Materials
Supplies:
- foam board
- low temperature hot glue sticks
- corrugated cardboard
- self-adhesive vinyl sheets
- tempera paint sticks or markers
- stickers
Tools:
- pencil
- utility knife
- metal straight edge ruler
- low temperature hot glue gun
- scissors
How to Make A Foam Board Encanto Casita
1. Design Casita
Use images of Casita for reference and ask the kiddo to draw the building. 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, then scale up the measurements/proportions to usable size. When deciding on finished size, consider the size of the figures living in Casita.
Make a cut list by planning the measurements for the walls and floors.
Our foam board Encanto Casita measurements (roof pieces cut after Casita built):
- Base: 8″ x 20″
- First Floor: 4″ x 19 3/4″
- Right Wall (shorter wall): 4″ x 9 1/2″
- Left Wall (taller wall): 4″ x 8 1/4″
- 5 First Floor Walls/Supports: 4″ x 4″
- 5 Second Floor Walls/Supports: 4″ x 5″
- Wall between Pepa and Mirabel’s Rooms: 4″ x 4″
- Wall between Bruno and Mirabel’s Rooms (forms tower): 4″ x 10″
- Wall between Bruno and Abuela’s Rooms: 4″ x 5″
- 2 Walls for Abuela’s Room: 4″ x 3″
2. Cut and Glue
Mark cut lines, place metal ruler on the cut line and cut using utility knife with sharp blade. Label each piece in light pencil (erase before adding to Casita). Wait to cut the roof pieces until after building the second and third floor rooms. This allows flexibility in the room location and gives wiggle room for mistakes.
Start with the floor and glue each first floor wall with hot glue.
Add a line of glue along each joint for reinforcement. To give extra support for the second and third floor, add an extra “wall” at both ends of the floor (so the floor will be held up by a support wall). Glue the bottom and one side of the support, then press it against the outer wall.
Before adding the second floor, measure, cut, and attach self-adhesive vinyl for the first floor. Applying vinyl to the floor now is much easier than after attaching the ceiling. My daughter loved selecting the floor color for each room.
Apply glue to the top of each wall, then add the second floor. Reinforce each joint with a line of glue.
Repeat for the second and third floors.
Measure and cut foam board for each roof and glue in place.
3. Create Casita’s Features
After completing Casita’s main structure, add features such as ramps, doors, furniture, or stairs. Talk to the kiddo about what features they’d like to add to Casita and work on the design together.
Add a curved front door by tracing the back wall onto foam board (this gives a more precise shape than just transferring measurements as the rooms can get a little wonky). Cut along the lines using a utility knife against a metal ruler.
Draw a curved door shape and cut with utility knife. Glue in place. Add additional windows or doors if desired.
Create the look of Casita’s roof tiles using corrugated cardboard. This is a great repurpose for cardboard boxes!
Remove one outside layer from the corrugated cardboard. Cut the corrugated cardboard the same length as the roof and 2″-3″ wide. Hold in place at the desired angle and measure the height needed for a foam board support.
Cut foam board support, then cut the top edge at a 45° angle.
Glue support in place with the angled edge up, then glue corrugated cardboard in place. Repeat for each roof section.
Cut a curved foam board piece for a rainbow over Pepa’s room.
Glue on the roof. Color or cut vinyl pieces to give the rainbow some color.
For stairs, cut a foam board strip the desired stair width.
Mark the tread and rise on each side of the strip.
Start on the first mark and cut half-way through the foam board. Then, create a wedge by cutting at a 45° angle on each side of the first cut. Repeat for every other marked line.
Flip the strip over and cut a wedge on the alternate lines.
Add a line of glue in the wedge and bend to create a 90° angle. Repeat in each wedge to create stairs.
Glue stairs in place and add a line of glue to reinforce each joint. Add a support at the midpoint.
Make a swing bed for Isabela’s room.
Cut a foam board rectangle. Use scissors to carefully poke a hole in each corner. Thread yarn (we used a plastic needle to help) through opposing diagonal holes and repeat with another piece of yarn for the other set of diagonal holes.
Poke two holes in the roof of Isabela’s room with scissors.
Join 2 yarn pieces and thread through one hole. Repeat for the other yarn on the other side of the swing. Level the swing at the desired height, then tie the yarn together.
Braid the yarn ends to create a vine.
4. Decorate Casita
Depending on your kiddo’s style, leave Casita plain or decorate. Give Casita some color with markers or tempera paint sticks. Add more self-adhesive vinyl sheets to the floors or walls.
My daughter cut a floral “rug” from self-adhesive vinyl for Isabela’s room and a blue river for Mirabel and Antonio’s room.
Floral and plant stickers are perfect Casita decor – especially for Isabela’s room. Also animal stickers for Antonio, food for Julieta, and weather for Pepa. Kids will enjoy placing the stickers and giving Casita some color and flair.
Make a tree from food pouch caps and pipe cleaners. We love repurposing caps from our squeezable food pouches.
Cut 2 or more pipe cleaners in half. Thread through the pouch cap and secure by twisting at the top. Leave the ends free to form “branches”. Use hot glue to attach a stack of pouch caps and form a tree base.
Add the cap with pipe cleaner branches to the top. Affix to foam board base with hot glue.
Do you have any Encanto fans? Try out this foam board Encanto Casita and let us know how it goes!
Foam Board Encanto Casita
Encanto is one of our favorite movies and soundtracks. We had so much fun making a custom Casita playset from foam board.
Materials
- foam board
- low temperature hot glue sticks
- corrugated cardboard
- self-adhesive vinyl sheets
- tempera paint sticks or markers
- stickers
Tools
- pencil
- utility knife
- metal straight edge ruler
- low temperature hot glue gun
- scissors
Instructions
- Use images of Casita for reference and ask the kiddo to draw the building. 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, then scale up the measurements/proportions to usable size. When deciding on finished size, consider the size of the figures living in Casita.
- Make a cut list by planning the measurements for the walls and floors.
- Our foam board Encanto Casita measurements (roof pieces cut after Casita built):
- Mark cut lines, place metal ruler on the cut line and cut using utility knife with sharp blade. Label each piece in light pencil (erase before adding to Casita). Wait to cut the roof pieces until after building the second and third floor rooms. This allows flexibility in the room location and gives wiggle room for mistakes.
- Start with the floor and glue each first floor wall with hot glue. Add a line of glue along each joint for reinforcement. To give extra support for the second and third floor, add an extra "wall" at both ends of the floor (so the floor will be held up by a support wall). Glue the bottom and one side of the support, then press it against the outer wall.
- Before adding the second floor, measure, cut, and attach self-adhesive vinyl for the first floor. Applying vinyl to the floor now is much easier than after attaching the ceiling.
- Apply glue to the top of each wall, then add the second floor. Reinforce each joint with a line of glue.
- Repeat for the second and third floors.
- Measure and cut foam board for each roof and glue in place.
- After completing Casita's main structure, add features such as ramps, doors, furniture, or stairs. Talk to the kiddo about what features they'd like to add to Casita and work on the design together.
- Add a curved front door by tracing the back wall onto foam board (this gives a more precise shape than just transferring measurements as the rooms can get a little wonky). Cut along the lines using a utility knife against a metal ruler. Draw a curved door shape and cut with utility knife. Glue in place. Add additional windows or doors if desired.
- Create the look of Casita's roof tiles using corrugated cardboard. Remove one outside layer from the corrugated cardboard. Cut the corrugated cardboard the same length as the roof and 2"-3" wide. Hold in place at the desired angle and measure the height needed for a foam board support. Cut foam board support, then cut the top edge at a 45° angle. Glue support in place with the angled edge up, then glue corrugated cardboard in place. Repeat for each roof section.
- Cut a curved foam board piece for a rainbow over Pepa's room. Color or cut vinyl pieces to give the rainbow some color.
- For stairs, cut a foam board strip the desired stair width. Mark the tread and rise on each side of the strip. Start on the first mark and cut half-way through the foam board. Then, create a wedge by cutting at a 45° angle on each side of the first cut. Repeat for every other marked line. Flip the strip over and cut a wedge on the alternate lines. Add a line of glue in the wedge and bend to create a 90° angle. Repeat in each wedge to create stairs. Glue stairs in place and add a line of glue to reinforce each joint. Add a support at the midpoint.
- Make a swing bed for Isabela's room. Cut a foam board rectangle. Use scissors to carefully poke a hole in each corner. Thread yarn (we used a plastic needle to help) through opposing diagonal holes and repeat with another piece of yarn for the other set of diagonal holes. Poke two holes in the roof of Isabela's room with scissors. Join 2 yarn pieces and thread through one hole. Repeat for the other yarn on the other side of the swing. Level the swing at the desired height, then tie the yarn together. Braid the yarn ends to create a vine.
- Depending on your kiddo's style, leave Casita plain or decorate. Give Casita some color with markers or tempera paint sticks. Add more self-adhesive vinyl sheets to the floors or walls.
- Floral and plant stickers are perfect Casita decor - especially for Isabela's room. Also animal stickers for Antonio, food for Julieta, and weather for Pepa.
- Make a tree from food pouch caps and pipe cleaners. Cut 2 or more pipe cleaners in half. Thread through the pouch cap and secure by twisting at the top. Leave the ends free to form "branches". Use hot glue to attach a stack of pouch caps and form a tree base. Add the cap with pipe cleaner branches to the top. Affix to foam board base with hot glue.
Base: 8" x 20"
First Floor: 4" x 19 3/4"
Right Wall (shorter wall): 4" x 9 1/2"
Left Wall (taller wall): 4" x 8 1/4"
5 First Floor Walls/Supports: 4" x 4"
5 Second Floor Walls/Supports: 4" x 5"
Wall between Pepa and Mirabel's Rooms: 4" x 4"
Wall between Bruno and Mirabel's Rooms (forms tower): 4" x 10"
Wall between Bruno and Abuela's Rooms: 4" x 5"
2 Walls for Abuela's Room: 4" x 3"
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