My daughter (she's 4) thinks the WWG models are the best things ever. She's constantly asking to play with them...which I will occasionally let her do under supervision. What I am wondering is if anyone is aware of something that I could inside various portions of models that would give them more strength. I'd like to make her some sets of her own, but I'd rather they last more than a couple of days.

I was thinking of high density foam padding, but high density foam is prohibitively expensive.

Anyone have any suggestions?

To strengthen my models I line the insides with pieces of foam board. It adds weight and rigidity. This works best with the flats and Villageworks. The new sets with interiors are pretty solid as they are. You could also leave a makeshift glue tab on the bottom of the models and use that to mount them on a base of some kind. I did this for some Villageworks buildings a few years back to great success. They mostly survive my 3 1/2 year old. Mostly.

For "flats" style buildings you could also buy some spray foam and spray it into the model before sealing the bottom (with either just more cardstock or a piece of foam core). I have never tried this so I don’t know how well it would work (it may need a waterproofing spray inside before applying the foam) but I have used the spray foam before when I did construction work, it dries to a simi-firmness (nothing comes to mind with a close consistency atm). A single can is cheep (like $5-$10) and could probably fill enough models for you to make her a small "city" of flats to play with.

Richard

Correction: it was cheep the last time I baught some about 5 to 6 years ago

Expanding Foam.

The kind you buy in a can and spray to into cracks and suck for insulation.
I've seen it used before for paper models like vehicles to give them some
internal rigidity.

** Doh! Just noticed this was mentioned in the thread above! **

Foam core works well.

Popsicle sticks.

~Floyd