Summer at Ark Eden: Kids Building Bricks with Earth
- Alexandra S-L
- Sep 1
- 2 min read
As summer draws to a close and the kids head back to school, we’ve been looking back at the energy and creativity that filled the Ark Eden summer camps. This year, the children took on a very hands-on challenge: making adobe bricks.
And what a job they did! Over the course of the summer, the campers crafted a total of 49 handmade bricks — each one built with care, laughter, and a lot of stomping.
The Brick-Making Journey
The kids didn’t just dive straight in — they learned the full process step by step, from raw earth to finished brick. Here’s how it went:
Chopping straw – our “natural rebar,” chopped finely to give each brick strength.
Sieving soil – to remove stones and roots, leaving only fine earth for mixing.
Mixing the earth – blending the right balance of sand and clay, the key to strong bricks.
Adding water – and then the fun began: stomping, dancing, and squelching the mud into life with their feet.
Adding straw – carefully mixed in to reinforce the bricks and prevent cracking.
Rolling into balls – small handfuls of the mix were shaped into balls to make filling the moulds easier.
Packing the moulds – each ball was pressed in firmly, layer by layer, until the mould was full and compact.
Revealing the brick – the mould was lifted away, leaving behind a perfect adobe brick, ready to dry in the sun.
It wasn’t just about making — along the way, the children also learned the science behind it: how clay binds the particles, how sand adds stability, and how straw acts as natural fibre reinforcement. They even tried out tests to check if their mix was just right.
The Results
By the end of summer, the children had produced an amazing 49 adobe bricks — real building materials that will go into our project. Each brick tells a story of teamwork, laughter, and the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands.
For many, this was their first experience of earth building, and it showed how accessible and joyful sustainable construction can be, even for kids.
The bricks strength withstood the ultimate test of being moved along the rickety jungle pathway to their storage location. They will be stored here to full dry before they are made into adobe walls!
What’s Next?
Now that the bricks are made and drying, we’re turning our attention back to the bamboo we placed in our treatment bath during the typhoon. Soon, it’ll be time to remove the bamboo and start preparing it for the roof structure that will shelter these very walls the children helped lay the foundation for.
We will also be hosting our first workshop for all ages!
Stay tuned — the next chapter is just beginning! With muddy hands and full hearts,
Alex
Bisque-kit
Comments