Build a Fort

A fun activity kids can do at home is building a fort. This is an activity which can be enjoyed by all ages. It encourages children to use their imagination and allows them to create a place they can escape to, where they can play or relax that belongs to them. This will probably be welcomed by many children, as we are spending so much time at home right now.

To make the fort all you need are some chairs, blankets or some sheets. Take 4 chairs and place them apart from each other to form a square. If you don't have enough chairs, find other things to make the corners, like shelves or a table. The further apart you place them the bigger your fort will be. You need to make sure you have enough blankets or sheets to cover the chairs to create your fort. Once you have your chairs in position, take the blankets (open the blankets up completely) and place them on top of the chairs to create a roof for your fort. You should try to have one large blanket for the roof that will fit on the top of the four chairs. You can add additional blankets to cover the fort all around, so the sides are covered, as well. Some children may need adult assistance to help get the chairs in position or to place the blankets on top of the chairs. Once covered with blankets your fort is done and ready to play in.

Basically, anything goes when creating a fort. You can try using less or more chairs to create forts of different shapes or sizes. You can even use different objects from around your house to help in creating your fort, such as tables or couch cushions. Children have the best imaginations. You’d be surprised by some of the ideas they can come up with! I know the children in the Bison Room have wonderful imaginations and are very creative when it comes to building things. I’m sure they could come up with some very interesting designs for a fort.

Once the fort is built, children can use their imagination to use the fort for different forms of play. Some examples are to pretend they are camping in a tent and maybe sleep inside the tent one night. It could be their secret clubhouse or a quiet space for them. Maybe consider having a picnic or playing a board game inside the fort. Children can bring sleeping bags, pillows and stuffed animals inside their fort. Anything to make it cozy and comfortable for them.

Have fun creating your home away from home with your child!!!