Igloo building with the Inuit igloo building technique overwhelms children. The blocks are too big, too heavy and the construction also requires skill. In addition, the snow saw is not an ideal tool for the little ones.
With the child-friendly Q-igloo and a shovel, even children can build igloos energetically.
Let a five-year-old child show you how to build an igloo in no time using the igloo building instructions for kids in the video by Quigli and below.
step 1: fill snow into Q-igloo. Shovel snow into box
step 2: Compress snow into Q-igloo
Step 3: Arrange snow blocks in a circle
Step 4: Add second row
step 5: string snow blocks together
Step 6: Increase slope inward
step 7: close roof
Step 8: Open entrance
Building instructions igloo for children Step 1: Fill snow into box
Shovel snow into box. Pappy wet snow is much more suitable than powder snow. If you can form a snowball that doesn’t crumble right away, you can make snow blocks too.
The snow can also be filled into the box by means of target throwing or other games – it just takes a little more time…
You do not have a suitable box? Click here for the order form for Q-Igloo.
Step 2: Compress snow into box
In order to prevent the snow blocks from falling apart and to bear the weight of the blocks further up, the snow must be compacted. Stamping works quite well, sitting on it is more fun.
Step 3: Arrange snow blocks in a circle
The snow blocks will be placed in a (round!) Circle with max. 2 m diameter set close to each other. The resulting gaps are filled with snow. As with the blocks, make sure that the snow is compact.
With the ground plan you determine on the one hand the size of the igloo. On the other hand, it also defines the construction time! Therefore, be careful with too optimistic igloo sizes, which may end up as an open castle after a few hours.
Step 4: add second row
Once you have tamped the joints in the first row, the next row follows on top of it. In contrast to the classic igloo building, it is not necessary to build in a spiral.
As you can see, the box should only be big enough for the igloo-building children to carry it around.
Step 5: Place snow blocks together
Each block that comes out of the mold nicely is a small sense of achievement. Now the building instructions igloo for children come into play: already in the second row you have to make sure that the blocks are tilted slightly inwards.
The practical shape of the Q-igloo makes it easier to build from the beginning compared to a normal cuboid box.
Step 6: Increase the slope inside
The first block of a slightly more inclined row does not hold by itself. If you place a second block next to it, they support each other. By filling the joints inside and outside they gain stability. Then you can lean the following blocks against the existing one.
Reasons why it tends not to work that way with the classic igloo are the smaller curvature due to the larger radius and often the drier snow in the Alps. In the lowlands there is often wet snow, which pops super together.
Note that the stability of igloos depends on various factors besides snow consistency: Small igloos (
150 – 200cm diameter) are more stable than larger ones; igloos are more stable after completion than during construction; igloos become more unstable due to sunlight or heat. Therefore: Gain experience with small igloos, check the stability regularly and make sure that no one is under snow masses, from which one can not free himself independently.
Step 7: Close igloo roof
At some point the hole at the top will be so small that you can lean two snow blocks against each other like a ridge. Two further blocks, which are brought into shape with the snow shovel, close the sides.
If you build a cooling tower (too little inclination), children can stand comfortably in the igloo, but at some point it will be difficult to close the igloo.
Step 8: Open entrance
Depending on the size of the igloo, you can break out the entrance in the wall during the construction phase. If necessary you can decorate the entrance with a small tunnel. And already the Pingu children’s igloo is ready!
For this little igloo, the little igloo builder and his dad have built a house in just under two hours (incl. snowball fight) 44 blocks obstructed.
Do you want to try it out? Click here for the order form for Q-Iglu.