Activity Overview
There is something very magical about making forts during childhood. I remember making them when I was a child and this and fun and exciting experience should not be missed by today's youth. Uncover the magic of building a fort to enjoy for the months to come. Try getting out into the great outdoors and building your very own Lean To Fort.
Children will get a chance to hone in on many skills such as planning, scoping out a spot, searching for and gathering materials needed, and constructing the fort itself. Once all of that has taken place, the endless hours of playtime and imagination will unfold. There is nothing like a fort to set the imagination in motion.
Materials Needed
- Sturdy rope
- long branches from a wooded area.
How to Make It
- Search your area for two thin trees that are about 6-8 feet from one another.
- Find a long straight branch that spans the distance between the two trees.
- Use a rope to tie each end the the branch to a small tree trunk about 5 feet up so that the branch is horizontal across the two vertical trees. Have an adult help you with this step.
- Gather sticks that are be about 6 feet long in order to create a good angle for what will become the angled roof of your
- Now lie the sticks one by one up against the main support beam that you just tied across.
- As you lean the branches, try to ensure that they all have the same sloping angle.
- Cover the entire area between the two saplings.
- Next, layer another set of branches on the top of the first set.
- Repeat this layering process until you have made at least 4 layers of branches.
- If you can find some leaf filled branches, you can lay them over the layers of branches to help keep the fort warm and dry and even a little more camouflaged.
- Lastly rake out the floor area of your fort in the area that the branches cover so that it is clear of debris and bugs as can be. Lay a blanket down if you like and enjoy your new space.
