Rainy Day Craft: Build a Fort from Old Boxes

Kids really don’t need expensive gadgets or the latest wall art hot air balloon or silver metal wall art in their playroom to be happy. For example, building a fort from ordinary cardboard boxes is a fun and creative way to spend a rainy day. Not only will they have fun building the fort, but will be able to have hours of fun playing in the fort once it is completed as well.

Locate Some Good Cardboard Boxes

There are a number of supplies that kids will need in order to build a cardboard box fort. Of course, a good supply of cardboard boxes is essential. If you have any very large boxes, such as those that large kitchen appliances or televisions came in, those can be ideal. If you don't have enough large boxes, smaller ones can be used together. Make sure any boxes you choose are safe, and don't have any exposed staples or other sharp types of fasteners.

Safety When Cutting

You will have to take the age of the child and their abilities into consideration when deciding on how much assistance you might need to provide for cutting needs. If you are piecing together smaller boxes, you might want to help with some of the basic construction, using a utility knife, box cutter, or sharp scissors to make the necessary cuts. While you're at it, you might want to help cut any windows or openings in the fort that the kids will need. You can follow their direction, letting them draw on the box where the windows should be, and then you can cut them out. Once the cuts are made, the kids can use tape to piece the boxes together safely.

Accessories for Decorating

Once you have assisted with any tasks that require adult safety precautions, you can stand back and let the kids have fun. Provide them with a good supply of art materials, such as markers, crayons, construction paper, paper bags, tape and glue. Other items such as empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls might also come in handy. It can be handy to keep a box or bag in the home where items like these can be collected, instead of throwing them in the trash. Then, when a fort building or other cardboard construction project is planned for a rainy day, you'll have plenty of building supplies ready and waiting. Other accessories that could come in handy would be small throw rugs, old pillow cases that could be taped up as a curtain, and blankets for "camouflage".

Remember the Fun of the Fort

Once the cardboard box fort is built, be prepared for it to stick around for a while. For this reason, it can be easiest to let children begin building the fort in a location has plenty of room, such as a recreation room, play room, or an area in the basement. Kids can get quite enthusiastic in their building efforts, and if the fort is constructed in the middle of the living room, for example, it could be difficult to move from the room without cutting it into pieces. By having it built in an area where it can stay for a while, it will provide hours of entertainment for the fort builders.