Top Tips for Building a Duvet Fort This Easter Weekend

The Easter weekend is finally upon us, but with rain forecast for many parts of the UK, you may have to call off the Easter egg hunt and find some indoor fun for you and the kids.

One of our favourite things to do on a rainy day in is to make a duvet fort! It’s a great way for you and your kids to let your imaginations run wild and get really creative.

 

Get stocked up

Building a top secret duvet fort is no mean feet, and you’re going to need a good stock of building materials.

Obviously the building blocks of your fort are going to be duvets and sheets, and the more the better! Although, beware of robbing any bedding from an unsuspecting big brother or sister who might not take too kindly to having their bed turned into a secret hideaway!

To make things a little more comfy in there, throw in some pillows and some cushions off the sofa, and maybe even a sleeping bag.

To keep everything solid and secure, make sure you have some clothes pins and rubber bands and maybe safety pins, but of course exercise caution using these around small children!

But it’s not just the construction itself you need to prepare for! Hang up some fairy lights or other lanterns to create a really magical atmosphere.

Fort building can be hungry work, so make sure the cupboard and fully stocked with all kinds of treats to keep you and your builders going, and make sure you have some entertainment ready such as a mini DVD player or iPad that you can snuggle up with once you’re in your new fort.

 

Scouting out a location

First things first, you’ll need to find the perfect location for your secret fort. A kitchen or dining room table works a treat as you can drape the duvet right over it and hide away underneath.

If the weather does decide to play ball, why not take things outside? Trees, swings and garden furniture can all become parts of a magical outdoor hideaway.

One thing to bear in mind though is that you need to build your fort somewhere out of the way.

Not only do you not want any uninvited visitors, but family members probably won’t take too kindly to tripping over your masterpiece as they shuttle back and forth in the kitchen trying to master that lamb roast.

 

The construction process

Half of the fun of making a duvet fort is experimenting and seeing what works and what doesn’t work, so we don’t want to ruin it too much for you!

Working as a team to try and create something is all part of the challenge so keep at it!

You basically just need to drape your sheets and duvet over your chairs, table or whatever furniture you’ve chosen.

Of course, this isn’t quite so straightforward and you’ll find the blankets will often fall off, so you’ll need to make use of rubber bands and clothes pegs to keep everything in place.

Once you’ve got your fort looking fairly sturdy you can think about adding a door. After all it’s a fort, it has to be secure!

This can be made using some cardboard boxes or maybe just an opening in your blankets.

 

Let the kids be in charge

While you may think you’ve got a slightly better knowledge of architecture than your little one, make sure you don’t overtake the construction process!

While the results may wind up being a bit of a disaster, letting the kids take creative control is what it’s all about.

Let them explore their own imaginations, and only jump in to guide things in the right direction when necessary.

Of course… this is all assuming that you even have kids, and you’re not just trying to escape from adulthood for the day!

 

Get inspired

Is your fort looking structurally sound, but a little bit…bland? Why not check out these duvet fort ideas from Pinterest for a little inspiration?

So there you have it. The perfect way to spend a rainy Easter weekend with the kids, and to have a little bit of fun yourself!