Make a Blanket Fort
This is a serious issue.
There’s simply draping a sheet over a table and then there’s the art of building a blanket fort. If you live in the UK, even in Spring, you can almost guarantee a rainy day with nothing much else planned – perfect blanket fort conditions.
Here’s how:
Choose Your Location
Find a space with enough room to crawl, play, snuggle, sleep, eat a picnic, watch a trashy movie, apply a face mask, or read a book.
Fort, from the Latin: strong, mighty, firm, steadfast, brave, and spirited.
You will need sturdy furniture to support your fort’s structure. Flimsiness is not an option – this bad boy has to stand firm enough to keep out invading armies and not collapse during the scariest movie scene.
I recommend using the living room, dining room, or bedroom as your Fort Base. Avoid blocking doorways or windows unless you especially want to annoy others.
We once built a fort by turning a large sofa on its side, creating a luxurious, squishy haven to watch a projected film.
5-Star – Highly Recommended
Materials
You will need:
- Chairs
- Sheets
- Blankets
- Cushions
- Pillows
- Brooms or tripods
- Bulldog clips
- String
- Tape
- String lights
- Electric tea lights
- LED lights
- Heavy books
- Duvet
- Entertainment
- Snacks
- Glow sticks
- Books
- Board games
- Playing cards
- Hot water bottle
- Friends
- Whatever else you feel you might need to make it cosy.
The Construction
- Set up the structure:
Place two rows of chairs with the backs facing each other, spaced far enough apart for your roof material to cover comfortably. If you’re short on indoor chairs, use garden chairs. Ensure the chairs are stable; you can use tape or string to secure them if necessary. - Create a comfy base:
For comfort, lay blankets and pillows on the floor inside your fort. Consider a duvet or sleeping bag for the base layer, and add cushions or pillows around the edges for extra cosiness. - Build the roof:
Drape a sheet or lightweight blanket over the chair backs to form a roof. Pull it taut to avoid sagging. Secure the fabric to the chairs with bulldog or binder clips. - Secure the edges:
Anchor the roof material by weighting the edges with heavy books, boxes, or other objects. This prevents the roof from slipping or blowing away. - Light it up and decorate:
Enhance the ambience with string lights, electric tea lights, LED lights, and glow sticks. Decorate the interior walls with posters, pictures, banners, or flags using tape or pins. Don’t forget to include entertainment options like a TV, laptop, books, or games. - Invite and enjoy:
Consider inviting friends to join you for games, films, and stories or to relax and enjoy the sanctuary of your fort.
Alternatively, enjoy the peace and solitude by yourself, safely hidden from the world.
Creating a blanket fort is not just about building a hideout (but also is).
It’s about crafting a little personal space, giving yourself permission to indulge in childlike, divergent thinking, and letting your imagination and creativity flourish.
Also keeping out baddies.