Viking Ships
- Hope Creek Studios
- Jul 17
- 1 min read
Viking Cardboard Boats (Grades 3–8) – Art Around the World Series As part of our Art Around the World unit, we set sail into Viking culture—and our cardboard longboats turned out to be a massive hit, especially with the boys (though plenty of girls were just as into it)!
This hands-on project introduces students to Viking design, seafaring, and symbolism. We begin with a look at Viking longships—their structure, purpose, and iconic decorative elements. Then students dive into creating their own, using cardboard bases, painted sails, hand-drawn shields, and fierce dragon head prows to bring these legendary vessels to life.
From layering cardboard shapes to designing tiny details, students were fully engaged throughout the process—and the final fleet of longships made for a seriously impressive hallway display. The creative variations and personality in each boat made the project feel collaborative and individual at the same time.
Why It Works: This lesson blends history, engineering, and art in a way that feels like play—but also develops real skills. Students practice fine motor coordination, spatial reasoning, creative planning, and attention to historical detail, all while having a blast constructing their ships.
Want to try it in your classroom? Our full Viking Boat Lesson is available in our shop, complete with step-by-step instructions and printable templates to make planning easy and implementation smooth.
It’s one of those projects that gets students excited to learn—and it’s always a crowd favorite!
©HOPECREEKSTUDIOS2025
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