Make a Town
     Free software for kids to create a fun and educational arts and crafts project.
Directions to Download, Install, Run and Build
    Make a Town requires a PC running Windows Vista, XP, Me, 98, 95 or 3.1 with an Inkjet, Laser or Dot Matrix printer.  Vista or XP will need a computer administrator user account.  A limited user account cannot install software.

Download Make a Town (320k)

We have an educational activity based on Make a Town:

Go to Make a Town Activity Page

Download Instructions:
     Click on the Download link above.  If your browser offers you the choice of Opening the program or Saving it to Disk you should try Opening it.  If things go right the installation program will run.  If your browser will not open the program then choose the option Save to Disk to save it to your hard disk.  Remember which folder or directory you save it in.

Installing the software on your computer:
     If your browser ran the installation program then Make a Town is already installed and you may skip this portion.  If you saved the installation program, FOLDINST.EXE, to your hard disk then it needs to be run.

Windows 95:  use Explorer to navigate to the folder where you saved the installation program.  (You can use FIND, FILES OR FOLDERS to locate the installation program if necessary.)   Double click on the installation program to run it.  You will be prompted for a folder to install Make a Town into and a Program Group for the icon to appear in.  The default choices that you are offered in the dialog boxes are recommended.

Windows 3.1:  Use File Manager to navigate to the directory where you saved the installation program.  Double click on the installation program to install Make a Town. You will be prompted for a folder to install Make a Town into and a Program Group for the icon to appear in.  The default choices that you are offered in the dialog boxes are recommended.

Running the Program:
Windows 95:  After the program is installed there will be a folder in START, PROGRAMS with the name chosen in the installation program.  The default name is "Owl & Mouse".  Click on the folder and you will see Make a Town.  Click Make a Town to run the program.

Windows 3.1:  After the program is installed there will be a Program Group in Program Manager with the name chosen in the installation program.  The default name is "Owl & Mouse".  There will be an icon in the program group for Make a Town.  Double click on the icon to run the program.

     When you run the program you will see a list of buildings you can print.  Click on one and click the print button.  You will see a dialog box that allows you to select your printer and the number of copies.  When you click OK the building will print.

Making the Town:
     To make paper houses and create your own town of houses, print out the house patterns and roofs. (The roof pattern has two roofs, so you only need one copy of it for every two houses).
     Color the houses. It is best to turn the pattern so that the wall of the house you are coloring is "right way up". Add curtain, houseplants, a cat in the window, a goldfish bowl, flowers, in the windows; shutters, holiday decorations bushes, vines or trees to the outside. You could even have a tricycle or lawnmower outside. On the houses, the "middle" rectangle with no doors or windows does not get colored, because it will not be seen once the roof is on.
    Cut out the house along the outside heavy lines.
     Fold on all of the lines. When you are looking at the colored sheet of paper, all of the folds go away from you. They are all 90 degree folds (like turning a corner). First glue or tape the flat roof to the sides of the house, then fasten the back of the house to the sides. Then the roof goes on top.
     Stores are different because they have a flat roof. Put a sign in front saying what they sell, and display their merchandise in their windows. Stores generally put their largest and fanciest merchandise where everyone can see it easily. They fold up the same way, but the flat roof is the actual roof on them.

Learn to Read by Reading
with:
Bridge to Reading
"When learning to read is fun, children read"