What is it about forts that makes them so timeless? There’s just something universally magical and nostalgic about building them. Ask any adult if they built forts as a kid, and the answer is usually a resounding yes. They can probably even tell you where, when and with what they built their favourite forts.
I have vivid memories of turning my sister’s bunk bed into a hidden cave. And memories of hanging blankets down over the staircase in my childhood home and moving bookcases around to get the perfect blanket roof height.
Fort making is not a fad. Forts are here to stay.
Fort-building combines so many lessons for children into one activity whether it be sharing, imaginative play, gross motor skills development, creativity and maybe a lesson about gravity.
As parents, we don’t all enjoy pretend play with our children such as participating in make believe scenes with dolls or pretending to be a sick patient. We can feel guilty for avoiding or not fully-participating with our kids in these types of play that don’t always hold our interest.
Fort-building provides a way to play creatively with our kids and still have fun. And when we are having a good time, our kids can tell and in turn we are effectively creating more meaningful happy memories together for them and for us.
We remember our favourite forts as a kid, wouldn’t it be nice for our kids if those memories building amazing forts included us?