Indoor Fort Ideas

• Child-made forts are always the best. No matter how well laid out and constructed, the giant backyard jungle gym cannot compete with space the child re-purposes for themselves. Here are a few ideas for indoor fort construction.
  
  Blanket forts are always a favorite. Start with a dining room table with chairs spread around it for a base. Drag bed sheets and blankets from the cupboards and chests and drape them over the table, chairs and whatever other unbreakable furniture is used as fortress walls. Supply the little soldiers with Nerf guns and let the battle commence. Or stock the nooks and crannies with books and toys and create a mansion for tiny tots.
  
  Under the bed is another great spot for the smallest children. Drape blankets down to the floor and lend a flashlight and light-up toys to illuminate the cavern. Lots of pillows and blankets are a must.
  
  Empty closet floors are another sure winner. Drape a sheet or blanket from a hanging bar to the back of a chair for an entrance canopy. Add a child's chair or a soft footstool and the closet becomes a throne room.
  
  

Outdoor Forts

• Cardboard boxes are one of the greatest structural elements for juvenile architecture. Raid the dumpsters behind floral shops or other retail stores. Provide the kids with a stout pair of blunt scissors, several rolls of duct tape and magic markers and stand back. Offer to help with the tricky bits and listen to what they want. Try to help them achieve their vision rather than become the junior version of a zoning committee. Link like-sized boxes to build tunnels. Use taller units, such as appliance cartons, for junctions. Cut flaps to open for doors or windows.
  
  The shade of a tree with a sheet pegged out tent-style is another classic. Gather lawn furniture and toys into the shelter and have a tea party. Additional sheets can provide more rooms. Add a cardboard tunnel entrance to create a completely alternate universe inside your sheet tent. Use old sheets and provide finger paints or other messy crafts to use on the grass where the mess is easily cleaned up.