History

The First Dream House

The first Dream House was built in 1973 when Charlie Allen of Nashville, TN was asked to establish and direct the Child Care Center for the University of Tennessee at Nashville (now part of Tennessee State University).  Charlie had a budget which allowed him to purchase almost any equipment he felt was needed.  He wanted some type of small house-like structure in which children could play.  However, he rebelled against the idea of spending $300 - $400 or more for a commercially produced plastic house.  After brief study he concluded that he could build the type of house he wanted with a couple of pieces of plywood and six 2x4’s at a cost of around $35.00.  And so the first Dream House was created.

The Next Ten Thousand Dream Houses

Parents at the Child Care Center copied the idea.  Early Education colleagues asked Charlie if he would build a Dream House for their classroom or center.  There were requests for workshops on "Building a Dream House" and then requests to display Dream Houses at conventions and conferences.  At these occasions free instructions were distributed.  The next major step occurred when groups and organizations adopted the building of the Dream House as a project.  To date over 70 groups and organizations have built Dream Houses.

Dream Houses now exist in at least forty states and several foreign countries.  Some organizations (Rotarians, Kiwanians, Fire Departments, Home Depot) have built hundreds.  All materials have been donated.  All Dream Houses have been built by volunteers.  A statement provided by his brother, which Charlie often uses, is "Dream Houses cannot be purchased anywhere.  They must be built by volunteers."

The Cost and Ease of Building a Dream House

The cost of materials for Dream Houses should not exceed $50.00.  Charles tells people that if they are paying more than $50.00 for materials they are shopping at the wrong place.  The instructions are evidently easy to follow since nearly 10,000 Dream Houses have been built by simply following the set of instructions.  Recently, ninth grade Girl Scouts built three Dream Houses (two went to community centers and the third to a hospital waiting room).  It does not take the talents of a skilled carpenter to build a Dream House.  As Charles jokes, if it did take such skills he could not build one.

The Tragedy of 9/11 and the Dream House

Since the tragedy of 9/11 there is a renewed effort to provide Dream Houses for the small children of our nation.  Early Education professionals inform us that as a result of the tragedy, children who often have difficulty articulating their fears and feelings are under additional stress.  In the past, the Dream House has generally provided a place for creative play, but often, according to reports, the house has served as a safe haven for some children who are trying to cope with the stresses of the outside world.  It has become their "security blanket."  We now live in a world where most of us need "security blankets" of some kind.  Maybe the Dream House can provide a feeling of security and a pleasurable environment where children can still dream their dreams.
 
 

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