Build Your Own Play Fort

DIY Forts
Build Your Own Playfort!

Kids love to design and create
forts in their backyards.

Here are some ideas to inspire
the most fun forts around!



What You Will Need:

• Backyard
• Imagination
• Kids
• Tarp or Blanket (optional)
• Trees (optional)
• String (optional)

What You Do:

• Find a place in your yard to create your fort.
• Using scraps of wood, old nails, Dad's hammer, blankets, tarps, string, or any other material that you can think of, create a fort to be a secret hide-out or play area in your backyard.

Additional Ideas:

• Tie a string between two trees at the height you want your fort to be. Drape a tarp or blanket over the string. Anchor the tarp or blanket in place by piling rocks or other heavy objects on top the tarp. Crawl inside and have a picnic lunch!
• Have a backyard with lots of trees? Design a fort using dropped branches. Prop the branches against a tree that have fallen to the ground. Continue adding branches to create a teepee. Kids can't resist hiding out in a fort made from trees!
• What do you do with leftover wood scraps from a construction project? Give them to your kids, of course! Boards of all shapes and sizes are perfect for kids to create their own forts. Show your kids how to safely prop pieces of boards together (or nail them together for them) to create a secret hide out. Crawl in and have fun!