One of my favourite summer activities with the kids is to build a den. There is a lovely park near us which has a dedicated den building area which the park rangers use for parties and clubs and you can often find dens there or make your own. When we came back from the woods a at the weekend the girls all wanted a den in their garden.
I had made an in side one for them a couple of years ago using a tepee shape and the ball pool as a base so thought this would be the easiest option. You can buy ready made tepees or make them if you can sew but to be honest they are pretty easy to throw together.
You need:
- 4 bamboo canes
- string/ribbon
- large piece of material/duvet
- pegs
it is pretty simple really. We just stuck the 4 canes into the ground and tied them together with string at the top – although I have used an elastic band before and that works well.
Then drape the material around and tie with more string – or a piece of ribbon to make it look pretty. I had a couple of pieces of shiny fabric in my craft cupboard and they worked brilliantly.
The pegs are for making sure the sides of the material stay flat. just peg the material tightly around the poles. You can leave a flap for a door or just keep the opening clear.
A frew blankets and cushions make it more inviting. It’s a great place to have a rest, read some book or escape from your annoying little sisters.
The twins enjoyed playing camping in their tepee.
It was also a lovely spot for a picnic lunch.
Now we just need some nice weather so we can make one again.
For more ideas for making outside dens have a look at these fun posts: