I don’t know about you, but I remember building forts in various living rooms, basements, backyards, and parks 🙂 I remember the satisfaction I felt when a structure held, and hid me and my friends. I remember relishing the privacy it gave, to play out our intricate games. I remember the community we built by building together!

Turns out it is a natural instinct, and it is also really beneficial to children! According to research the need to build forts starts around age 5/6, and lasts until around age 12/13.

Apart from from being fun, it helps children figure out their nearby world, and it helps them become more independent.

It also teaches skills!

3rd grade is working on forts at the moment, and keeping the bamboo rods, and sticks in place presented a challenge. We quickly figured out lashing would probably help, since nails are out of the question when you use a living tree as your anchor.

Skills learned: problem solving, lashing, tying secure knots, team work, fine motor skill training, mathematical concepts like balance, and angle, regard for nature.

Below you can find an article about the benefits of fort building.

https://www.paulaspencerscott.com/single-post/kids-forts

Have a wonderful weekend