- Drape a lightweight blanket or sheet over 2 rows of chairs with the backs facing each other. Then secure the blanket with heavy objects or clothespins.
- Use tension curtain rods, clotheslines, or even a table as the ceiling of your fort.
- Stock your fort with games, snacks, string lights, and a fan. That way, you can hunker down for a long time before you have to leave!
Building an Easy Fort
Set up 2 rows of chairs with the backs facing each other. Chairs are a great option since their backs provide a high ceiling for a fort, giving you plenty of room inside. Position the rows of chairs in front of a sofa, bed, or a wall if you want the fort to have a back wall. Space the rows of chairs about 4 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.8 m) apart, but adjust them depending on the size of your blanket. If you don’t have chairs to support your fort, look for other sturdy, tall items nearby. Laundry hampers, bunk beds, ottomans, and heavy boxes are prime fort-building materials, so long as they won’t easily fall overTip: Your blanket fort will need to have enough room for you to crawl and play in, so choose an area with plenty of space and avoid blocking doorways. The living room, dining room, or bedroom are all good options.
Place blankets and pillows on the floor of the fort to make it comfortable. Fold a comforter or other fluffy blanket in half and lay it down, or layer a few blankets to add cushioning to the bottom of the fort. Then, place several cushions or pillows around the edges of the fort. Also place extra blankets or sleeping bags in the fort to cover yourself up. If the ceiling of your fort is high enough, place a few low chairs or stools in the fort for sitting, such as bean bag chairs or ottomans.
Drape a sheet or blanket over the furniture pieces. Hang a large sheet or a lightweight blanket over the top of the fort so that it goes over the edges of the furniture. Pull the blanket or sheet taut so that it’s not drooping down in the center of the fort’s ceiling. Layer more than 1 sheet or blanket over the furniture to provide a darker environment inside of the fort. Use a light-colored sheet to allow some light into the inside of the fort, or use a dark-colored sheet or blanket to make it darker in the fort.
Secure the blankets with heavy objects or clothespins. The edges of the blanket will eventually slip off the furniture if you don’t weigh them down. Grab a few books or other heavy objects and place them on the edges of the blanket. Clothespins or rubber bands are also great ways to secure the edges of a sheet onto some types of furniture. For example, if you’re using a couch as part of your fort, clip the sheet’s edges to the fabric on the couch using a clothespin. Propping large pillows or couch cushions against the fort’s framework can also help to secure the blankets.
Other Ways to Build a Fort
Use an extendable curtain rod to support the ceiling in a small space. If you are building the fort in a hallway, closet, or other small space, use a tension rod as a support for the ceiling of your fort. Extend the tension rod over the center of where you want the fort’s ceiling to be. Then, drape your blanket or sheet over the rod. Use smaller pieces of furniture to support the lower portion of the sheet or blanket. This fort is perfect if you want to create a ceiling that is high enough to walk under. Make sure that the blanket or sheet you use is long enough to reach the floor. Or, set up the rod low enough that your blanket can touch the floor.Safety Precaution: Make sure that the rod is secure before you hang a sheet or blanket on it. Test it by tugging gently on the center to make sure it doesn’t fall.
Extend a clothesline across the room for an extra-large fort. If you want a large, long fort, then string a clothesline from 1 end of your living room or bedroom to the other. Tie the line to wall hooks or sturdy, tall furniture. Then, drape blankets and use smaller pieces of furniture to keep the blankets from caving in. This will allow you to create a fort that can span the entire length of a room. If you need more stability, simply tie on more strings! For a wider fort, set up 2 clotheslines running parallel to each other and hang the blankets over both of them. Drape a sheet from an outdoor clothesline to make a quick and easy outdoor fort.
Drape a blanket over a 4-legged table. A quick and easy way to make a fort is to use a table as your base. Pull the chairs away from a 4-legged table and drape a large blanket over it, and voila! Your fort is complete! If you need to, hang a blanket over the sides of the table and place a heavy object on top to keep them in place. Make sure to choose a table that is high enough for you to fit underneath. Use a blanket that is large enough to cover all 4 sides of the table.
Making Your Fort Comfortable and Fun
Add lights to the fort to let you see when you’re inside. If you want to read inside your fort, or play board games with siblings or friends, you’ll need to add some lights. Christmas or string lights look great, and they come in all sorts of colors. String the lights across the ceiling of the fort, or place them on the ground around the edges of the fort. Also place a few flameless candles or a battery-powered lantern inside of the fort. A flashlight works, too! Use it to light up your face while telling a spooky story. Make sure your lights don’t burn too hot, which could be a fire hazard.
Create tunnels with boxes and additional blankets. If you have an empty box lying around, use it to connect your fort to a second fort, or simply make a tunnel going into the fort, like the entrance to a beaver dam. Open up the top and bottom of the box and lay it on its side at the edge of the fort. Then, drape a blanket over the box to help it blend in with your fort. Place multiple boxes in a row to make a long tunnel into and out of your fort.
Place a fan at the end of the opening to keep the space cool. Forts can get pretty hot, especially after a busy day of adventuring. Place a fan in front of the opening to the fort to help circulate air throughout it. Avoid hanging any blankets behind the fan—they may get stuck in it and break it. Using a fan is also a great way to make an inflatable fan fort.
Bring games, books, and other types of entertainment into the fort. If you plan to spend a lot of time relaxing in your fort, make sure to bring a variety of fun items into it. Bring a few board or card games into the fort if you will have friends or siblings in there with you, or bring a good book if you will be in the fort alone. You could also bring a tablet or laptop into the fort if you want to watch a movie or play games.Tip: Avoid bringing too many items or large bulky items into the fort. These will clutter the space and make it harder to move around. Make an opening that faces a TV, so you can watch movies from the comfort of your fort.
Stock your fort with snacks and drinks. You don’t want to have to leave the fort to get a drink of water or something to eat! Put some non-perishable drinks and snacks in the fort so you won’t have to go in search of food and drink for a while. Some good options include: Whole fruit, such as oranges, apples, or bananas Pretzels Chips Crackers Cookies Beef jerky Juice boxes Water bottles
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