Dadafu
A family building guide
Set Sail!
18 magnetic tiles · 4 steps
A tapered hull, an upright mast and one big sail beside a smaller sail
What pieces do you need?
- ×8square tiles
- ×2rectangle tiles (2 × 1)
- ×7right triangle tiles
- ×1equilateral triangle tiles
Compare with your tile set
Choose the exact set to compare quantities. For other brands or mixed boxes, use each plan’s piece list.
A little boat is ready to sail. Build its sloping hull, raise a mast and spread one large sail and one smaller sail to catch an imaginary breeze.
Before you build with real tiles
- Lay every tile flat on a table and use the top view to check the whole silhouette. Similar colors from your own collection work too.
- Match the ordinary tile shapes in the materials list. Join magnetic edges without stretching, cutting or stacking the pieces.
How to build it, step by step
1. Build the tapered hull
Add in this step: 1 square tiles · 2 rectangle tiles (2 × 1) · 2 right triangle tiles
Join a rectangle to each side of one middle square, then add a right triangle at each end. The top becomes wider than the bottom.
Hands-on tip: Keep every tile flat and align its magnetic edges. Leave the pictured gaps open; never overlap the tile faces.
Step 1 / 4 2. Raise the middle mast
Add in this step: 3 square tiles
Join three light squares upward from the center of the hull, leaving both sides open for the sails.
Hands-on tip: Keep every tile flat and align its magnetic edges. Leave the pictured gaps open; never overlap the tile faces.
Step 2 / 4 3. Open the large triangular sail
Add in this step: 3 square tiles · 3 right triangle tiles
Use three squares and three right triangles for the big sail. Its outside edge runs in one straight diagonal from the mast top toward the bow.
Hands-on tip: Keep every tile flat and align its magnetic edges. Leave the pictured gaps open; never overlap the tile faces.
Step 3 / 4 4. Add the smaller sail and mast flag
Add in this step: 1 square tiles · 2 right triangle tiles · 1 equilateral triangle tiles
Make the smaller sail from one square and two right triangles. Add a yellow flag beside the top of the mast.
Hands-on tip: Keep every tile flat and align its magnetic edges. Leave the pictured gaps open; never overlap the tile faces.
Step 4 / 4
A little help for grown-ups
You do not need to plan a lesson. Use these prompts when you reach a tricky step, or when your child wants to try an idea of their own.
4. Add the smaller sail and mast flag
Which way are the sails facing? Which way does the flag fly?
See this stepTake this plan to the building table
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