3 Great Indoor
Kid Forts
Written By David Sobel
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1. Sheet Music
Building is three-quarters of the fun, so having lots of structural elements available gets a kid's architectural juices flowing. (If you're serious about supporting fort building, then allocate a trunk or big box for supplies.) Frayed sheets, worn-out blankets, and yellowed quilts in abundance will do the trick. It's nice to provide a yardstick, Wiffle bat, broom handles, or foam noodles to prop up sagging roofs. Think harem tent as the architectural style. Inside, the fluffier, the better. The idea is to cover every last bit of floor and corner with something soft so you can cuddle up, roll around, and giggle with no hard surfaces or edges to spoil the fun.
The simplest indoor fort is a card table draped with a sheet. Similarly, the space between two twin beds can be a snuggly nest when a quilt becomes the rug and a fitted sheet creates a roof. Feeling a bit more ambitious, Wondertime testers pulled a couch away from the wall, set up one heavy chair facing the couch, and used another chair to join the two in a horseshoe. They stretched a fitted queen-size sheet over the top and secured it by the elasticized edges. Foam noodles propped against pillows and chair and couch arms kept the roof elevated. Under the sheet, kid testers climbed on the couch or frolicked in a sea of pillows on the floor.
When your structure is complete, let there be light — flashlights or battery lanterns. (No open flames!) Finally, having a snack inside sanctifies the fort as a special place. You won't believe how scrumptious peanut butter and crackers tastes in the hushed twilight of Couchpillow Land. And stories told down under are that much more memorable.
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