• Free Printables
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Soup
  • Projects
    • Crafts
      • Holidays
        • Easter
        • Father’s Day
        • Fourth of July
        • Halloween
        • Valentine’s day
        • April Fools’ Day
        • Christmas
        • Cinco de Mayo
        • Derby Day
        • Earth Day
        • Mother’s Day
        • New Year’s Eve
        • St. Patrick’s Day
        • Thanksgiving
      • Kid Crafts
      • Wreaths
    • DIY
      • For the Home
      • Theme Parties
  • Healthy Living
    • DIY Product Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Fitness
  • Travel
    • Cincy
    • Indy
    • Florida
    • Michigan
    • Myrtle Beach
    • Sandusky
    • Wisconsin
  • Deals

A Bird and a Bean

Crafting. Cooking. Creating. | Crafts on a budget | Cooking with kids | Creating something new everyday

  • Free Printables
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Soup
  • Projects
    • Crafts
      • Holidays
        • Easter
        • Father’s Day
        • Fourth of July
        • Halloween
        • Valentine’s day
        • April Fools’ Day
        • Christmas
        • Cinco de Mayo
        • Derby Day
        • Earth Day
        • Mother’s Day
        • New Year’s Eve
        • St. Patrick’s Day
        • Thanksgiving
      • Kid Crafts
      • Wreaths
    • DIY
      • For the Home
      • Theme Parties
  • Healthy Living
    • DIY Product Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Fitness
  • Travel
    • Cincy
    • Indy
    • Florida
    • Michigan
    • Myrtle Beach
    • Sandusky
    • Wisconsin
  • Deals

diy build a fort kit

January 30, 2012 by Erin 8 Comments

I made these DIY fort kits for the kids for Christmas.  
But, they would be a great gift for any reason!  
Valentine’s Day comes to mind – forget candy shaped like hearts – every kid loves making forts.  
(OK maybe candy and a fort kit!)  
Or a birthday. 
 Or a snow day.  
(although it doesn’t look like we’re getting any of those any time soon.)  
Gotta love diy thrifty gifts!
Anyway, 
they LOVED them.  🙂  
Mom the hero.  
I love being the hero.  
My kids think it’s super fun to make forts out of everything!  Everything.  Couch cushions, every pillow and blanket in the house, my grandmother’s afghan, coats, books, chairs.  Nothing is safe.  I was sick of putting 27 cushions and throw pillows back in their proper rooms every other day.  Enter the self contained fort kit.  Now we only have to stick all this stuff back in a pillow case.  Way easier.    
I saw the idea here, at Saltwater Kids first.  And she got the idea here, at Bloom.  Geniuses!  
Here’s mine.

Each kit contains……

1.  2 sheets with 5 ribbons attached  (I buy vintage sheets at yard sales and Goodwill for about 50 cents each) (I used one spool of grosgrain ribbon for each kit.  I bought them when they were half off at the Hob Lob, so $2 each)
2.  1 walkie talkie each (I bought a set at Walgreens for $10)
3.  1 chill pill light (a flashlight would be completely fine – but my kids ALWAYS look directly into all flashlights ….and I’m the paranoid mom who doesn’t want them to hurt their eyes)  (the dollar tree has flashlights though – much better deal)
4.  1 set of bungee cords (from the dollar tree)
5.  1 set of chip clips (from the dollar tree)  (I wanted to buy stronger clamps, they would work better – but my dollar store was out of clamps the day I bought all this stuff)
6.  1 rope (also from the dollar tree) (yeah, unless the kids you are making these for are old enough, I would suggest the actual building of the forts be a supervised activity….paranoid mom speaking again but… rope + unsupervised toddlers = E.R.)  But once the forts are up, they play in them for hours without me.
7.  Glow sticks (again…dollar tree…I’m so predictable)  🙂
8.  Pillow case to keep it all in (free from my closet)

So, that equals about 13 dollars for each kit.  Not to shabby.  
Not having to de-fort the house every night = priceless  🙂  
The original post included clothes pins and suction cups as well (both can be found at the dollar tree).  I don’t really have a good place for suction cups and I didn’t think clothes pins would be strong enough.  


** Hint:  When sewing a length of ribbon to each corner of the sheet, loop it over itself first (like in the picture).  That will allow a loop on one side (for hooking to things) and two ends on the other side (for tying to things).  Then the kiddos have the option of which to use.  After adding four ribbons to each corner, add the fifth one right in the smack middle of the sheet.  (So they can make a pointy tent when the need arises.) 

And how cute are those vintage sheets?  I love the tennis racket one!
 I was going to use vintage pillowcases too – but I kind of want to try and make these stinking adorable dresses so I am keeping the pillowcases in my stash.

I put two sheets in each kit.  
And all four sheets hung up in our basement turns it into a crazy blanket cave.  
But, it’s really easy to take down. 
 And oh so fun!  

Related Posts

  • Lavender Sugar & Rosemary Sea Salt :: and a Free PrintableLavender Sugar & Rosemary Sea Salt :: and a Free Printable
  • Simple Citrus Coconut Oil LotionSimple Citrus Coconut Oil Lotion
  • $400 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway$400 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
  • Holiday KitchenAid Artisan Mixer GiveawayHoliday KitchenAid Artisan Mixer Giveaway
  • Simple DIY Throw Pillow Redo for WinterSimple DIY Throw Pillow Redo for Winter
  • VTech Innotab Max {Giveaway}VTech Innotab Max {Giveaway}

Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Kids' Crafts & Projects Tagged With: gift ideas

← cute owl craft giant double chocolate cookies →
« cute owl craft
giant double chocolate cookies »

Comments

  1. Bobbi says

    January 31, 2012 at 12:44 pm

    Erin, these are adorable. I can remember making my own”forts” with Mom’s blankets and old diaper pins when I was a kid.(45 years ago). I think having a kindred spirit for a mom is a wonderful gift for kids.

    Reply
  2. Liberty says

    January 31, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    oh my how wonderful!
    Like oyu I am also incredible tired of having to schlep pillows, but want to allow indoor creativity!
    Cannto wait to try this – will be on the look out for fun sheets at goodwill…
    Blessings
    http://bit.ly/aBX5p5

    Reply
  3. loraine says

    February 1, 2012 at 3:55 am

    I am going stright to dollar tree and the resale shop when i get off work on Friday!!!! My girls (4 & 6) are going to love this!!!! Thanks so much for the idea!!!

    Reply
  4. Amy Bowman says

    February 6, 2012 at 8:29 pm

    You are featured at New Nostalgia’s Anti-Procrastination Tuesday! Thank you for linking up, Erin!

    Reply
  5. momto5 says

    April 20, 2012 at 6:05 am

    i am going crazy! what an amazing idea! woohoo birthday gift coming up!

    Reply
  6. Tina Marie says

    September 20, 2012 at 12:45 am

    Anyone think this is too young for an 8 yo girl? I have a double b/day party coming up and this is perfect for the 6yo boy. Can’t wait to hit Dollar Tree and Goodwill tomorrow!

    Reply
  7. erin says

    September 28, 2012 at 10:27 am

    Thanks for all the love guys! I don’t think this would be too young for an 8 year old at all! It could be a reading nook or anything!
    Have fun!

    Reply
  8. Stu says

    February 24, 2017 at 10:31 am

    I used to love building forts as a kid, but I never made anything quite this cool. Kudos to you

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Meet the Team
    • Meet Us
    • Featured
  • Disclaimer and Privacy
  • Advertise

Subscribe

Delicious, crafty goodness right to your inbox!

Hi There

I'm wife to wonderful hubby, mom to a bird and a bean and teacher to middle school ESL students. I love Jesus, cooking, bargains and anything crafty. Read More

Family Favorites e-book

...

Looking for Something?

  • Search
  • Categories
  • Archives
  • Tags
Categories
Archives
...
Tags
#ad Abby's benefit ambassador bacon CFAMoms chickens CincyMonsterJam coconut contributors cooking with kids crafty meggy dollar store crafts featured FitIn8Weeks Fitness gardening get organized gift ideas Good Tastes Tuesday guest post homemade body products homemade cleaners josh hutcherson link up my family myNKY omron fitness challenge organization organization tips organize organized organizing your life photo challenge popsicles preschool Pumpkin Recipe Link Up road trip salad sewing teacher appreciation themed parties trader joes tuesday tips valentines

Popular Posts









































Like on Facebook

Sponsors

Products I Recommend

What I’m Pinning

Follow Me on Pinterest

Buttons

A Bird and a Bean


5 Card Challenge

I’m an Ambassador



I’m a Contributor





Copyright © 2022 · A Bird and a Bean

Copyright © 2022 · Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in