How to make doll-house sized roundwood roofs?

A few years back (see this thread about daub and this thread about the foundation), I taught my medieval history class how to make little wattle & daub houses. The hardest part was the roofs. The square roofs needed a LOT of lashing, and the round roofs were just sticks bundled together with a rubberband, and then round reed woven around it to attach the thatching to. These roofs loved to squeeze up and get narrow.

Here you can see the examples of the houses we built two years ago:





I'm not happy with how the thatching turned out, nor with the roof structure. Before the roofs were added, the buildings were a lot more eye-catching:



This year, I'm having my botany/ethnobotany class make wattle & daub fairy houses. This has resulted in some really cool builds that will require a lot more customization...and I'm not that skilled at roofing. Anyone have any ideas for easier and better roof builds that 5-12 year olds can make with limited adult help (I have 12 students in a class, and usually only one or two parent volunteers in the class.)

Hi Nicole - I love the little houses. Your students are obviously having a lot of fun whilst learning!

I came across corbel roofs last year and they may be something for you to consider - The difficulty again will be making them removable.


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Reciprocal roofs would be amazing to do, but again very fiddly to secure.


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I think you're main problem is how to secure the structure - the fixings. Whether it is cordage or nails or some sort of interference like weaving, they are all pretty fiddly until the whole lot is in place.

Maybe some sort of jig to hold the twiggy structure in place while they do the weaving? Some clay/blocks that they could stick them in?