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Fan-tailed peacock

41 pieces 15 steps · One little step at a time.

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A little before you begin

The tail is a fixed structure. Move the bird by its broad base.

Build the body before the feather tips so the joining pieces stay easy to reach.

Build away from the screen

Save or print the guide, including every step, the parts list and play ideas. For an offline copy, download the ZIP, extract it and open index.html. No bricks included.

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A LITTLE PREPARATION

Gather your pieces

Match the shapes and quantities. The pictures show our colours. Colour names in the steps refer to the pictures; keep useful contrasts, such as a light belly against a dark body.

41pieces in total

See the original colours

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01

STEP 1 OF 15

Lay a green 6 × 12 plate across the table, with its long edge nearest you.

Lay a green 6 × 12 plate across the table, with its long edge nearest you. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
02

STEP 2 OF 15

Put two blue 2 × 8 plates end to end across the back two rows. Each end projects two columns beyond the base.

Put two blue 2 × 8 plates end to end across the back two rows. Each end projects two columns beyond the base. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
03

STEP 3 OF 15

Place two yellow curved bricks in front of the fan, side by side, with their round ends forwards.

Place two yellow curved bricks in front of the fan, side by side, with their round ends forwards. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
04

STEP 4 OF 15

Join the feet with a yellow 4 × 4 plate. It reaches back to the row in front of the fan. Add two blue curved bricks on top, rounded ends forwards.

Join the feet with a yellow 4 × 4 plate. It reaches back to the row in front of the fan. Add two blue curved bricks on top, rounded ends forwards. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
05

STEP 5 OF 15

Stand a blue double-height square brick on the back half of the body, centred between the two curves.

Stand a blue double-height square brick on the back half of the body, centred between the two curves. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
06

STEP 6 OF 15

Put a yellow 2 × 4 plate on the neck, projecting two rows forwards for the beak.

Put a yellow 2 × 4 plate on the neck, projecting two rows forwards for the beak. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
07

STEP 7 OF 15

Put a blue square on the back half of the yellow plate. Finish with a blue curved brick, its round end forwards.

Put a blue square on the back half of the yellow plate. Finish with a blue curved brick, its round end forwards. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
08

STEP 8 OF 15

Build six green double-height square bricks across the middle of the tail, leaving two columns at each end clear.

Build six green double-height square bricks across the middle of the tail, leaving two columns at each end clear. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
09

STEP 9 OF 15

Add four red double-height squares across the middle four columns. Leave the outside green column on each side showing.

Add four red double-height squares across the middle four columns. Leave the outside green column on each side showing. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
10

STEP 10 OF 15

Raise the middle pair with two orange double-height squares. The green, red and orange rows step down evenly on both sides.

Raise the middle pair with two orange double-height squares. The green, red and orange rows step down evenly on both sides. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
11

STEP 11 OF 15

Join the highest pair of central columns with a green 2 × 4 plate across their tops.

Join the highest pair of central columns with a green 2 × 4 plate across their tops. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
12

STEP 12 OF 15

Finish the outside pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you.

Finish the outside pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
13

STEP 13 OF 15

Finish the next pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you.

Finish the next pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
14

STEP 14 OF 15

Finish the next inner pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you.

Finish the next inner pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.
15

STEP 15 OF 15

Finish the highest pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you.

Finish the highest pair of feathers with yellow squares and blue curved bricks. Point the rounded blue ends towards you. New additions are shown in their original colours; earlier pieces are lighter.

THE LAST STEP OF THE GUIDE

Room for a little more imagination.

Count the feather eyes from one side to the other. Find matching colours on the left and right of the fan. Give your bird a name and a favourite place in a paper garden.

Tell us how your build went

KEEP THE IMAGINATION GOING

Your next little idea.

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