← All lesson plans
Full access Make-believeArt and patternBuildings

Harbour with a lighthouse

Build a large harbour scene with three pier modules, a striped lighthouse with a gallery and red roof, and a boat with an open hull. Join flat PLA components into independent objects for your own stories and display. The project can be spread over several sessions at home or in a workshop.

Age
8–12 years
Length
approx. 7 h
Level
Medium
Where you teach
Home
Purpose
Creative
Choose a plan in the shop Enter a code

How to run this session

Stages and timing
  1. Outlines: four frame strips
  2. Join the display frame
  3. Outlines: pier module 1
  4. Partial filling: pier module 1
  5. Complete panels: pier module 1
  6. Assemble pier 1
  7. Outlines: railing and bollards for pier 1
  8. Finish pier 1
  9. Outlines: pier module 2
  10. Complete panels: pier module 2
  11. Assemble pier 2
  12. Outlines: railing and bollards for pier 2
  13. Finish pier 2
  14. Outlines: pier module 3
  15. Complete panels: pier module 3
  16. Assemble pier 3
  17. Outlines: railing and bollards for pier 3
  18. Finish pier 3
  19. Outlines: lighthouse base
  20. Partial filling: lighthouse base
  21. Complete panels: lighthouse base
  22. Place the lighthouse base
  23. Outlines: tower rings
  24. Join the lower ring to the base
  25. Outlines: first lighthouse panel
  26. Outlines: colours: first lighthouse panel
  27. Partial filling: colours: first lighthouse panel
  28. Complete panels: colours: first lighthouse panel
  29. Outlines: remaining lighthouse panels
  30. Outlines: colours: remaining lighthouse panels
  31. Complete panels: colours: remaining lighthouse panels
  32. Installing lighthouse walls: 1–2
  33. Installing lighthouse walls: 3–5
  34. Installing lighthouse walls: 6–8
  35. Outlines: door and window
  36. Complete panels: door and window
  37. Add the door and window
  38. Outlines: brackets and gallery
  39. Complete panels: brackets and gallery
  40. Brackets below the gallery
  41. Fit the gallery
  42. Outlines: railing and chamber frames
  43. Complete the gallery and chamber
  44. Outlines: roof support and facets
  45. Partial filling: roof support and facets
  46. Complete panels: roof support and facets
  47. Support the roof on the chamber
  48. Fit the red roof
  49. Outlines: boat bottom, ribs and rim
  50. Partial filling: boat bottom, ribs and rim
  51. Complete panels: boat bottom, ribs and rim
  52. Place the boat bottom
  53. Outlines: hull panels and two benches
  54. Complete panels: hull panels and two benches
  55. Support the boat framework
  56. Close the hull sides, leave the interior open
  57. Add the two benches
  58. Arrange the harbour entrance

What gets built

Create a seaside scene for your own stories and display.

What it practises
  • Assembling solid forms from flat PLA panels
  • Planning a composition and creating your own stories
  • Comparing clearances and checking independent bases

Success criteria
  • The three pier modules stand on their own feet and can be separated.
  • The octagonal lighthouse has two red bands, a gallery, an empty chamber and a red roof; it stands independently.
  • The boat retains an open hull, a flat bottom and two benches; it fits through the passage without pressure.

What you need
Filament
PLA
Colours
Teal, Navy, Sand, Ivory, Red
Also
PLA 3D pen with power supply and stand: 1 set, 3D pen mat, at least A4: 1 item, A4 sketch paper: 3 sheets, 30 cm ruler: 1 item, Pencil: 1 item, Small PLA cutters: 1 item, Blunt-tipped tweezers: 1 item, Printed 1:1 patterns: 1 set

Files

The files for this plan are part of full access

Anyone can read the description. The slides, instructions and worksheet open with full access to the Creators Club. Choose a plan in the shop, then enter the code from the email in your account. Access starts when you enter the code.

Choose a plan in the shop Enter a code

How did the session go?

Your rating and notes come to us only. We do not publish them; we use them to improve the plans.

Rate it school-style, from 1 to 6.

Version 43ca264a-10b1-4b4d-82e0-aae4689f7858 Updated 2026-10-07

Write to us