60 min
One Box, Anything
A big box, some tape, and no instructions whatsoever.
🏕
Build a Blanket Fort
Every blanket in the house, one afternoon, one secret headquarters.
A fort is not really an activity. It is a place where three more activities happen afterwards.
What you need
- blankets and sheets
- dining chairs
- cushions
- clothes pegs
- a torch
How to do it
- Move two or three chairs into a loose square.
- Drape sheets across them and peg the corners so they hold.
- Fill the floor with cushions and one blanket.
- Add a torch and a couple of books.
- Leave them to it. The fort is the point, not what happens inside.
Why this is good for them
Building an enclosed space gives children something they rarely have, which is somewhere that belongs to them and that adults cannot easily enter. The engineering problem of making a roof stay up is real, and they will solve it themselves if you let them.
Adapting by age
3 to 4 yearsBuild it for them and let them decorate it.
9 to 12 yearsHand over the whole build with one rule: nothing may lean on the television.
Keep it safe
Nothing heavy overhead, and keep it clear of heaters, lamps and candles.
Cleanup tip
Agree the takedown time before you start building.
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