Photo by Hamed Saber
The following is written by relationship columnist Corey Allan of Simple Marriage.
This week I’m going to deviate slightly from the marriage relationship angle and focus on the parent-child side of things.
As the lone male columnist here at Simple Mom, I thought it may be helpful as the dog days of summer are upon us to write up a “how to” on one of the great indoor activities — building a blanket fort. This is a great way to engage your children in imaginative play, especially on extremely hot or rainy days.
Blanket forts can be even more fun by adding friends or sleeping all night inside the fort.
There are many ways to create a blanket fort. The simplest, by far, is made by draping a king or queen size sheet over a kitchen or dining room table. More room can be added by turning the chairs with their backs facing the table and drape the sheet over the chairs as well.
Another easy fort to create involves bunk beds – hang a sheet by tucking it under the top mattress and cover the bed below. The end of the bed can be covered by a towel or small blanket… and voila – you have a fort!
Now that the elementary building is over, it’s time to move on to the next level. And before you ask my qualifications for such instructions, allow me to provide some — I’m male (yes, women can build awesome forts as well), and I’ve built hundreds of forts for my children. And as a child, I even lived in one for an entire summer — it had two rooms, beanbag chairs, a bed, a small fridge, and a TV.
Supplies:
- Blankets, sheets, or quilts — and for added versatility, include a couple of fitted sheets
- Pillows
- Chairs
- Tables, a sofa, or a bed — something as a main anchor
- Clothespins or tape
Prep work and safety
After you’ve gathered all the supplies, you’ll need to prepare the space for construction. Look for a large space close to large furniture or a bed to use as a main anchor point. You’ll also need to clear out any breakable or valuable objects, as forts tend to be demolished once the children are tired of the creation.
You’ll also want to stay away from small tables or pieces of furniture that could fall over on the kids while they play.
Photo by Tsh
Building an awesome fort
Step 1
After you’ve located your space, spread a large sheet over the anchor piece of furniture, like the back of a sofa or the top of a table — in my house we’ve used our piano.
A handy tip: if you are using the back of a sofa as an anchor, use a fitted sheet to hold it more securely.
Step 2
Spread the sheet out and drape it over other pieces of furniture. Use additional sheets and blankets to add more room in the fort. You can either overlap the sheets as they drape over the anchors, or secure them with clothespins or tape (you can also anchor down the corners and sides with heavy objects or books, although it’s not recommended as they could be pulled down on the kids as they play).
Step 3
Bring in chairs or a tall support of some kind to prop up the middle of the sheet. You can use a tri-pod, a bar stool, or another sofa. Avoid using lamps or other objects that may easily fall over. Wherever you see sags in the sheets, simply bring in another chair or support to get the sheet to the desired height.
For advanced builders only: Mount removable 3M hooks in the ceiling, drop string from them, and attach clothespins or potato chip clips to the end of the string. Then clip the blanket or sheet to the clips in order to create a floating ceiling.
Step 4
Once the roof is up, use the extra blankets or pillows to fill in the gaps. You may not get every gap covered — no worries, just use that gap as another door or window.
Step 5
Create a front entrance. No fort is complete without a main door. You can use a pillows, or if you want to really get into it, use a cardboard box as a tunnel entrance.
Photo by Guy Schmidt
Step 6
Stock it with necessary supplies. This will include whatever age appropriate toys or items your kids want: stuffed animals, sleeping bags, flashlights, puzzles, flat screen TV with DVD player, cold beer and pretzels (oh wait — those last few are my supplies). You get the idea.
Step 7
Step back and enjoy your awesome creation. It’s time to play.
One final tip: get in the fort with your kids. Let them be in charge of the play. It can be a great experience together.
Did I miss anything? Add your tips and advice in the comments.
_____
Corey is a husband, father, writer, speaker, and family therapist. He thinks everyone can experience more in marriage. That’s what his blog, Simple Marriage is about.
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
My toddler loves these and I have fond memories of them as a child as well.
.-= Shannon´s last blog ..A Menu Planning System for Summer =-.
Your post brought back some forgotten memories from my childhood… Thanks for the idea, this is a great thing to do in a rainy day. My kid might be just old enough for us to build the very first fort together – he’s almost 2
.-= Emma @ Baby-log.com´s last blog ..Toys That Last – Baby’s First Blocks =-.
If he’s almost 2, he’s definitely ready to diving into fort building – and destroying!
.-= Corey – Simple Marriage´s last blog ..A Simple Marriage Experiment: Bye, Bye Television =-.
What a fun post! I have great memories of doing this at my Nana’s house growing up.
Jamie
.-= steadymom´s last blog ..Rest for the Weary Mother – The Emotional =-.
ahhh… the good old blanket fort! What a great memory of growing up, thank you! I need to start keeping a list of these things as I’m pregnant with my first child and will want to make sure he/she has the same fun playtime that I did when I was little!
.-= Tabitha – From Single to Married´s last blog ..High – Low =-.
Lovin’ the step-by-step! My kids love forts/tents/cardboard houses. Such fun!
.-= PS~Erin´s last blog ..Spending Hiatus: My Own Personal Shopper… Could be yours too: =-.
I just took down the remains of our latest fort. We use small cardboard boxes for cabinets. This last fort even had a mail slot!
.-= Amy Reads Good Books´s last blog ..Top Three Tuesday =-.
A mail slot- love it!
.-= Corey – Simple Marriage´s last blog ..A Simple Marriage Experiment: Bye, Bye Television =-.
My son just passed 10 months and I noticed the other day that he would probably love a fort soon, if not now. I can’t wait to experience lots of fort making with my son. Thanks for focusing on the fun aspects of parenting.
.-= Michele´s last blog ..I want you to know… =-.
How funny to read this this morning! I woke up to find a fort made by my two little ones.
It took over the family room and they were plunked in it watching Gilligan’s Island!
.-= Mandy´s last blog .. =-.
This is great– I love that you’ve laid out the “science” behind fort-making, because it’s not always intuitive to everyone. I remember my most favorite fort as a kid was one I built in the snow. I took out a bag of Cheetos and left them there overnight…. found them frozen solid in the morning, which I thought was so cool!
.-= Cara @ repurposeful´s last blog ..Get rid of sticker residue on clothing =-.
We have forts in the living room all the time. The kids love it best when daddy helps set it up and plays inside with them.
.-= Rana´s last blog ..Making plans. =-.
Now, I never thought I’d read a blog post on building a play fort! I’ve built a few myself for my son & his friends but, being a mom, mine were extremely simple and consisted of a sheet draped over whatever chairs were available at the time, constructed as quickly as I could get it up and running for a busy preschooler. You’ve obviously put some serious thought into this
You rock, Dad!
A floating ceiling… sheer genius! I knew I was missing something. Now I can finally take our forts to the next level.
On another note, I’ve found that a small tent (those 1 person kiddie types) make a great base/2nd room.
.-= Scott´s last blog ..Standing On Your Own =-.
Scott- I can’t take credit for the floating ceiling idea – it came from Jonathan Fields of Awake @ the Wheel. It’s a great idea!
.-= Corey – Simple Marriage´s last blog ..A Simple Marriage Experiment: Bye, Bye Television =-.
I made a fort for my daughter today! She kept crawling under the coffee table, from one end to the other. All I did was throw a large blanket over the table so it covered both sides and left the ends open. She loved it and it kept her occupied for a whole 15 minutes! Just goes to show fun doesn’t have to be fancy.
Corey…You are too funny! This is awesome! I’m bringing you some blankets and other fort supplies up to Panera’s to watch you go to town. Think of all the work you could get done and the fun you could have in a blanket fort there!
I find myself drooling at the prospect of turning a restaurant into a fort. So many tables and chairs to use
.-= Corey – Simple Marriage´s last blog ..A Simple Marriage Experiment: Bye, Bye Television =-.
Wow- this brings back memories! If you REALLY want to take it to the next level try this:
When I was young we had a parachute at home (the real thing! not the small toddler time version) and we would spread it out over the whole family room anchoring it to couches, card tables, chairs, etc. along the walls. We put a couple fans underneath in strategic places, turned them on, and then propped up any other heavy spots with brooms or other tall objects. So much fun! I remember spending hours and hours in it with my sister and friends. When the fans first turned on it was fun to watch the whole thing billow up about 3 feet high through out the room, and of course it was fun to play in too.
I made a tent with my kids this morning with a fitted sheet and card table. it works great for on our deck because I can see them but they are still in the shade.
A parachute can provide so much to imaginative play. Thanks for adding it!
.-= Corey – Simple Marriage´s last blog ..A Simple Marriage Experiment: Bye, Bye Television =-.
I just made the coolest fort for my daycare kids today. I clothes pinned a sheet to our fence outside and draped the other two remaining corners over two chairs and clothespinned them securely. Then I put one of those tent tunnels between the chairs and a yoga mat along the length right next to the fence. It’s big and roomy, tall enough for the toddlers and preschoolers to stand under and makes some great shade in our hot weather today. They’re loving it!
.-= Melodie´s last blog ..The B’s of Breastfeeding =-.
I love this post! I would also add a tip about what watching what you feed your kids before they enter said fort. Did I go there? Oh yes I did. Anyone who grew up with brothers can vouch for this tip. No cabbage, brocolli, beans… you get the drift.
.-= Nikki´s last blog ..Nicmunks =-.
Excellent directions on the blanket fort!
A fitted sheet over the sofa — brilliant!
Thanks for the great ideas! I know what I’m doing with my toddler when it’s too hot to go out tomorrow…
.-= Shannon @ AnchorMommy´s last blog ..Summer Tofu Skillet =-.
My kids haven’t really tried out fort building but we do have a little tent bought from IKEA which they like to play inside in their room. The blanket idea looks so cool. May try out with them during the holidays.
.-= Dominique´s last blog ..WW- New Skates =-.
Clothes pins, rubber bands, (and for a family full of girls) hair ties can be fantastic for securing pieces together or more tightly to the tops of chairs. Moving couch pillows to the floor creates more room on the couch below the “ceiling” as well as a comfy floor for the fort — extra pillows are a MUST in fort building!
Thanks for this post! It inspired me to build a fort with my boys (2 & 4) this weekend and we had a blast. Great times
My 8 year old son is going to love this. He already transformed his teepee shaped climbing frame into a fort by resting our olive branch cuttings against it. He even got his grandparents in there to read the paper! One in his bedroom seems the logical next step. Thanks for the ‘How To’.
Cheers, Chloe
.-= Chloe Alice Wilson´s last blog ..VTech Kidizoom Digital Camera Review =-.
Wow, this is so ironic. Just lastnight, my husband and I were talking about stuff we did when we were children. I told him how I made a huge barbi mansion out of records and chairs. I used to fill zip lock bags with water and cover them so they would be waterbeds and I even filled a tupperware bowl for a swimming pool. He told me of his fort building stories and how he use to play pretend war behind the cushions and stuff…anyway it ended up with us making a fort of our own in our bedroom and well you know what was bound to happen next. Forts are NOT just for children…lol Our little one is not old enough to participate yet, but we can’t wait to help him build his first little fort! So strange that I came across this, when I saw this topic I was like…”no way!”
i love this idea!
cool post!! my friends and i are making a blanket fort in my room for my birthday-they are sleeping over- and i’ve never been so excited! I’m 14….Haha, i’m gonna have to try that 3m hook idea!
Hey, this was so much fun 2 do! I enjoyed it so much!
i made a fort out of my bed the other day, and now i know how to improve it! Even when you a teenager, forts are still fun. Thanks for the article
Thanks for all the great tips! I’m in college and we still make forts. My best friend and I bonded by making a fort together the first weekend of freshman year. I’m on Christmas break right now, but I can’t wait to get back to school and try using fitted sheets and hooks!
This is exactly what I needed. My girlfriend and I are planning on a nostalgia date here soon and I needed a crash course/new ideas for the blanket fort we’re planning on building. The plan: blanket fort, 80′s X-men re-runs, rice crispy treats, and twister. I’m 19 and she’s 20. This is going to be a day well spent. Nostalgia FTW. Thanks!
I’m 16 and this makes me want to go turn our living room into a fort one night while the rents sleep…mwahahaha
haha same here. I’m 16 too and started mine around 12 and just now finished. It covers my whole bedroom.. time well spent! lol
Oh my goodness I love building forts! The kids I babysit and I build them constantly. Maybe I can convince my friends to help me build one for my 16th birthday next month. That would be an amazing sweet 16. xD
And that ceiling idea is genius, I’ll have to try it!
I’m just curious, not trying to plug annoying ads, but me and my business partner share the same feelings about this timeless, classic way to entertain children. And we created a product (www.toydle.com) that we hope doesn’t take away from the nostalgic feel of fort building but allows kids to have “their own stuff,” meaning they don’t have to ask mom and dad if they can destroy the living room. What do you think? Good idea, or not?
Good input John! My kids have one of these ‘toydle.com’ forts and I know what you mean about them having their own space! This way when it’s dinner time the fun with the fort does’t have to end. My boys are ages 3, 8, 11, and 15. They all enjoy making forts! and because this kit is compatible with pvc fittings my older ones have begun to customize it and do some really cool stuff. Anyway, be encouraged it is a lot of fun and keeps kids from rotting on tv all day!
i am a kid myself and i love your idea. i dont have any chairs that i can use but a replacement could be maybe night-stands or something. i am 11 and yes, i still love to make forts. one thing you left out is making an exscape-pod so then if somebody is comeing you can get away quickly and you wont have to take it down.
Yes, every time we go to a baseball game for my older kids the younger two take blankets and use the coolers to make a blanket fort – very fun article.
I am 16 and with the help of my friend Melissa had created the most awesome study fort, to prepare for exams inside. The fort spanned across the whole basement, had a microwave, a fan, lamps, an umbrella wing, and a TV. It was the most elaborate fort I have ever seen. Unfortunately earlier tonight Melissa’s sister got angry and destroyed it. A sad day the best fort ever known as Treasure Cove. Tonight we start rebuilding! Treasure Cove 2.0 is coming.
Is it bad that I’m gonna do this for myself? I’m 18 :]
I have some experience building forts, and while looking around online for new tips I stumbled upon this blog post. Surprisingly, no one has talked about adding beams made of scarves – this solves the problem of internal support without sacrificing play space. It’s done by tying a few scarves (or other long things) together and anchoring them from the couch to a chair, from the piano to the wall, from the corner of the bed to another scarf already tied up, etc. This creates a loose latticework of support for the sheets or blankets to lay on – we’ve gotten so good we can create a fort that 9 or 10 adults can hang out in, and it’s all open space. If you wanted, you could also use scarves to divide the space by draping sheets over just one scarf as a wall.
WTF? I found this for the same reason. The scarve idea is good, because i made a fort with my little bro, but it only has one room.
Its also a good idea to have flashlights.It gives the kids a camping expeirence,
will she ever stop? this chick is sooooooooooooo crazy! i built a fort out of 6 cubes{foam] and 3 long wood pieces. Also a twin sided blanket. stake the cubes 2 on each other. you should have 3 stacks. set them in a corner leaving a space for you to got in and out. place the sticks over the cubes. now place the blanket over the sticks. theirs your fort! i only nine!
I am 12 years old and LOVE building forts. The one I am planning to build will use a fitted sheet (LOVE the idea) over our TV box. Its about 7 feet high and then, it will go over to our sofa and chair. I LOVE the open ceiling idea. My biggest issue when I ever built forts was the center. It always fell down no matter what I did. I will DEFIANTLY use THAT idea. Thanks sooooooooooooo much.
My kid is sick in bed and she is bored to tears so i made her a fort in between her two beds and she will fefuse to get out of it.:)
What a fun post! I have great memories of doing this at my Grandfathers house growing up.
I have an open closet in my room and the clothes bar is a great place to anchor a sheet, I tape it on the bar and pull it out and it makes a fun tent and a great way to form the basis for a fort, just a tip. It works well with shower curtain bars bc for some reason a dry tub is ridiculous amounts of fun and provides walls that can be drawn on.
LOVES the fort tips<3 I might make one tomorow evn if im 13 hehe
16 years old. My two best friends and I are planning to make the largest fort any of us has ever attempted in about two weeks. We’re getting a couple removable eye screws to use string to hold the ceiling up. It’s going to be the size of a fairly large master bedroom. I have never been so excited for my birthday.
awesome can i come??
i make these things all the time and i just usually get my cousins to do this and add a couple fans and flashlights and put a rug in there and stay in there for as long as my parents say. (about 2 days!)
This is awesome. I’m building a fort right now and instead of the floating ceiling idea (which rocks) i attached a heavy duty string, which you can get at home depot or walgreens, and attached it to the wall on both sides of the room and draped a blanket over it. it works extremely well and is really cool. also another thing that makes a fort fun is string lights. you can also buy these at walgreens or home depot and you get about fifty lights on a long, long, long string and you can put them all around the outside of the fort. if the roof of your fort is a lightweight, slightly translucent, blanket then they look like stars!
i love the floating celing idea its so changilling to make but fun at the same time!
Have your child create a secret password such as “Bubblegum” “Macaroni” “Soccer Rocks” or the name of a favorite celeberity!
thats such a good idea!! thats one way to make it even more creative!
heyy i love this stepby step insturction cing that im blonde. but any way i love building these! and steps make it so much easier!
thank you!!!
We made a great sheet fort and ate ice cream and listened to the police radio of the i phone !
what a cool thing to do im a twelve year old and i love to build forts and this is a really cool thing to do thank you for the tips when i have a child i want to do this with them for a good long time. thank you for the tips and guide maybe ill refer to this site in the future. Thank You
I am a RA at my college and I’m putting this on as a program for my freshman students. It was they’re so clearly memories like these last forever and never get too old. Thanks for the steps on how to do it.
I am a RA at my college and I’m putting this on as a program for my freshman students. It was they’re so clearly memories like these last forever and never get too old. Thanks for the steps on how to do it.
I love building forts. I am 11 and building one right now. It is so fun. I dont have any friends to come in with me though. I am sick and stayed home from school… all of my friends are at school! It sucks!
What a wonderful idea! I am trying to get my kids to do something other than be in their room so, I tried this and they loved it!! I would say next time to make the steps a little more specific…
I am about 23 and me and my husband Travis make forts every weekend we camp out in them watching movies and just bonding
I just wanted everyone to know your not to old or to young to build a fort!!
Awesome blog about an awesome topic! When I built my forts I liked to use my mattress whether it be as the floor of the fort or the roof. course I had plenty of mattresses to work with furniture that could hold up. It truely is up to the imagination when building a fort. A fun test to exercise ones creativeness!
Thanks for all the detail. Especially love the floating ceiling. I work with children in a counseling agency and the fort will be great for building rapport with new clients and be a fun new thing for my old clients!
I think it sucked! Mt forts are so much better. I am making a website of how to build a real fort and pictures. The fort I just built had room for 2 people. My forts have room for at least 15 people. My forts have maximum 7 rooms when this fort has one room. I will also give the steps for building one of mine, then you can compare me and Corey’s forts to see who’s better.