Thanksgiving LEGO Habitat Challenge

Ready to grab your bricks and pieces and design something new and festive? Why not give this Thanksgiving LEGO habitat challenge a try? The best part is you don’t need fancy bricks or a specific set, you just need a favorite fig and a box of mixed pieces! What are you waiting for? Let’s get started with super simple LEGO challenges for kiddos (adults too) of all ages!

WHAT IS A LEGO HABITAT?

A LEGO habitat is similar to a diorama but it does have a somewhat specific layout and is generally a smaller size so that you don’t need to have a whole bunch of the same type of bricks or the same color of bricks to make something awesome (because everything is awesome).

THANKSGIVING LEGO HABITAT CHALLENGE

CHALLENGE:
STEP 1: Choose a theme to represent the holiday or occasion such as Thanksgiving! Alternatively, you can build a habitat to represent your favorite fig instead. The choice is yours.

STEP 2: Choose a favorite Mini-fig to represent your theme or concept.

STEP 3: Grab a pile of bricks and pieces to build your habitat. Try to think of unique ways to use your pieces to tell a story within your habitat.

Time Constraint: 30 Mins (or as long as desired)

You might also enjoy these Thanksgiving LEGO Task Cards

HOW DO YOU MAKE A LEGO HABITAT?

It’s super simple to make one! Once you learn how to make a LEGO habitat, you won’t be able to stop. If you keep all of your habitats the same size, you can make a habitat stack at the end of the year. Try to make a new one each month! You’ll be making habitats for all your favorite figs.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: A box of bricks and pieces and a favorite fig

LEGO HABITAT INSTRUCTIONS

GET STARTED: Here’s how to start your mini-fig habitat.

STEP 1: Grab an 8×8 stud plate. Don’t have that size? Use math to combine several plates!

STEP 2: Build walls on two adjacent sides of the plate to form a corner. The best bricks for this step are called wall builders or 1×1, 1×2, 1×4, 1×6 sized pieces. You can also add a window or door if that works for your theme.

STEP 3: Add details to create a dynamic scene! Build furniture, use smooth tiles for a floor, or add accessories and plant pieces. You can use SNOT bricks which are bricks with studs on the side (see above) as well as on the top to create more detail. You might also have bricks with hooks coming out the side, perfect for brooms.

TIP: Add one or two of these types of bricks while building a wall and then you can hang something to the wall or create a fun look for a window! If your kiddos are familiar with LEGO friends or city sets, they will probably have a ton of great accessories already!

STEP 4: Add your fig in a playful pose! Check out the tile plate in the images above with the stud in the middle… this is a great piece to use for your fig to stand, attach a table to the floor, or keep a fruit tote in place!

EXTEND THE LEARNING

Grab the FREE Thanksgiving LEGO Habitat Challenge printable with ideas to extend the challenge.

—> Add a literacy component and write a few sentences about what is happening in the diorama or craft an entire narrative essay about it.

LEGO HABITAT IDEAS

Here are some more fun prompts, tips, and ideas you can use for a LEGO habitat during the month of November!

Instead of walls to indicate a room or house, create a tree missing its leaves. You can have the tree be in place of one wall, have it coming out of a wall, or turn the wall into a fence. Look for arched bricks to make branches or brown 1×2 and 1×4 plates to create branches as well.
Add a small LEGO vehicle from past sets if you’re taking a trip this holiday and create a habitat around the car ride!
Design a scene with any activity you enjoy doing this time of year.
Use a fig from the latest minifig series as an inspiration. Check out the turkey one here (Amazon affiliate link)!
Search through the tiniest accessories for any LEGO food items you can find.