Look for Similar
Construction Play Building a Cubby
- Functions
- Construction Game and Forbidden Game
- Alternative Names
- Forbidden Cubby Building (At School 18)
Building cubby houses remains a popular activity at some schools
Details
At School 17
Players: Several
Girls and Boys
Age: 6-7
Many children in the 6s and 7s class began to build cubby houses in the area called Peppercorn Lane while researchers were at School 17. At the end of the lane is a large pile of fencing off-cuts that are available for any child to use to make cubby houses. Children choose pieces of wood, nailing them to the sides and top of the existing cubby frame and then sawing the pieces evenly so that wood pieces were even.
As the week progressed, additions such as a 'garage' were added to the main frame, and pieces of material were also added to the cubby. According to the children, building cubby houses is usually a group activity where 2 -5 people usually have input as to how and what sort of cubby should be built.
An rule that seemed to apply to all cubby houses at School 17 was that a person or group would have to forfeit their cubby if they did not use it for an agreed period of time - usually two weeks.
At School 15
No text description exists of cubby building at this school. There is a video housed at Museum Victoria.
Children of both genders and a variety of ages (7-10) are involved in cubby building and play at various times during the week.
Much of what they do is also repair work on and decoration of existing cubbies.
Children also climb on top of the cubbies when teachers aren't looking because it is a banned activity.
At Quenabeyan
Players: 3
Boys
Age: 9-10
Illicit cubby built in out-of-bounds area.