Building a Home: questions to ask and activities to try
From diggers and cranes to moving day. Building a Home is an action-packed picture book guide to how an old building becomes a new home.
What age is it for? Building a Home is best for ages 3–6. Good for: Diggers, builders and how a home gets made.
Building a Home (Polly Faber and Klas Fahlén)
- Age
- 3-6
- Best for
- Diggers, builders and how a home gets made
Pore over the machines together and name the jobs people do. Point out building sites on your next walk.
What it helps with
- How buildings are made
- Machines and jobs
- Sequencing steps
- Curiosity about the world
Comprehension and discussion questions
Pick two or three, not all of them. “I don’t know” is a fine answer, and you can always come back to it another day.
- “What happened to the old building?”
- “Which machines did you spot?”
- “Who works on a building site?”
- “What happens last?”
- “Which job would you like?”
- “Who built our home?”
5-minute activities to try together
Block build
Build a house with blocks in stages: foundations, walls, roof.
Site spotting
Spot diggers and cranes on a walk and name them.
Free printables: Building a Home worksheet and activity pack
This book’s one-page worksheet with the questions and activities above, plus our activity pack: printable scenario cards, three 5-minute activities and a “What could I try?” page for practising everyday skills together. Enter your email and download them straight away.
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If your child liked this, try
Dig Dig Digging (Margaret Mayo and Alex Ayliffe)
- Best for
- Machine-mad little ones, and joining in with sounds
- Age
- 1-5
Driving My Tractor (Jan Dobbins and David Sim)
- Best for
- Counting, farm animals and a song to join in with
- Age
- 1-5
An Engineer Like Me (Shini Somara and Nadja Sarell)
- Best for
- Curiosity, engineering and inventing things
- Age
- 5-8
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By the Growing Wise team · Last reviewed: 10 October 2026
Growing Wise offers educational ideas for parents and carers. It is not a substitute for professional medical, developmental or mental-health advice. As an Amazon Associate, Growing Wise earns from qualifying purchases.