Different houses and homes

Part of The World Around UsHouses and homes

The homes in your village, town or city may all look similar - lots of us live in houses or apartments made from bricks and concrete.

However, not all homes around the world are like this. Some people live in very different types of houses and homes, depending on when they were built and the weather and resources they have available.

Photograph of a treehouse with a straw roof surrounded by trees in the rainforest.
A treehouse in the rainforest

Treehouses

Can you imagine living high up in the air amongst the trees? People in the Amazon rainforest often live in treehouses.

Treehouses protect their owners from floods and dangerous animals on the ground.

Plus, living up high in the trees connects people to the forest and all the animals and plants that live there.

Photograph of a treehouse with a straw roof surrounded by trees in the rainforest.
A treehouse in the rainforest
Photograph of light brown mud built adobe houses with small square windows against a blue sky. One of the houses has a turquoise door.
Mud built adobe houses in New Mexico, USA

Adobe houses

Adobe brick houses are made from a special kind of mud called adobe.

People mix the mud with straw and then let it dry in the Sun until it becomes hard, like a brick.

Then they use these bricks to build their houses. This is common in countries with hot, dry climates like Mexico, Peru, and many other countries in South America.

Photograph of light brown mud built adobe houses with small square windows against a blue sky. One of the houses has a turquoise door.
Mud built adobe houses in New Mexico, USA
Pnotograph showing wooden houses on stilts overhanging a river of brown water.
Wooden houses on stilts in Thailand

Houses on stilts

Sometimes, people build wooden houses beside lakes, rivers, or coastal areas on stilts. This helps protect them from floods and high tides.

They can also catch fish from their front porch!

This is common in countries near the ocean or big rivers, like Indonesia and Malaysia.

Pnotograph showing wooden houses on stilts overhanging a river of brown water.
Wooden houses on stilts in Thailand
A photo of an igloo lit up from inside. It is night time and the sky is full of stars. The igloo is surrounded by snow.
An igloo built of snow

Igloos

An igloo is a house made of snow blocks, usually built in cold places like the Arctic.

People make the blocks by cutting them out of snow using a special knife called a snow saw. They stack the blocks in a circle and make a dome shape.

Inside, it can be warm and cosy. Some people who live in the Arctic still build and use igloos today.

A photo of an igloo lit up from inside. It is night time and the sky is full of stars. The igloo is surrounded by snow.
An igloo built of snow
Photo showing two tall skyscrapers with other tall buildings in the background. It is evening and some of the lights in the buildings are on.
Tall skyscrapers in Vancouver, Canada

Skyscrapers

A skyscraper is a really tall building with lots of floors! They are built by stacking up many smaller floors on top of each other using steel and concrete.

Skyscrapers are found in many big cities around the world. Dubai, New York City, and Shanghai have some of the world's tallest buildings.

They can be so tall that they seem to touch the sky!

Photo showing two tall skyscrapers with other tall buildings in the background. It is evening and some of the lights in the buildings are on.
Tall skyscrapers in Vancouver, Canada
Photograph showing houseboats along a river in Amsterdam. Some have awnings out over their windows. There are a row of trees and a row of terraced houses behind them.
Housesboats in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Houseboats

A houseboat is a special kind of boat that has been turned into a home!

People might live on a houseboat if they love being near the water or travelling to different places.

Some houseboats have everything a typical house has, like a kitchen, bathroom, and even a garden.

It's like having a cosy little home that can float on the water.

Photograph showing houseboats along a river in Amsterdam. Some have awnings out over their windows. There are a row of trees and a row of terraced houses behind them.
Housesboats in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

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