Building a fortress with pillows, blankets and furniture is a traditional way to create perfect hiding places that have always been handed down! You can build a fun fortress in your bedroom using things you already have around the house.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Create a Fortress with Pillows
Step 1. Get as many pillows as you can
Start with your bedroom cushions and ask your parents if you can use the cushions from the sofa, their room, etc.
Step 2. Organize the pillows into groups
The fluffiest, softest cushions are perfect for creating a luxurious floor for your fortress, but they don't do as well for walls. Sofa cushions and other firm or firm pillows are perfect for walls.
Foam pillows are a great choice for walls because they are heavier and keep their shape
Step 3. Choose the furniture to use for the fortress
If you are building a fortress in your room, you can of course use the bed. Chairs, desks and dressers are also an excellent choice. Ask your parents if you can also bring furniture from other rooms.
Step 4. Gather heavy objects to support the pillows
You can use books, shoes, bulky toys, and even food cans (ask your parents for permission first). You will need these items to support pillow walls.
Step 5. Build the walls
There are two basic techniques for building walls. Which one you choose depends on the type of pillows you have available. Start building from the bed and use it as your primary support structure.
- The "sandbag" technique is ideal for softer pillows. Arrange a row of pillows around the bed until you build a wall of the length you want. Arrange another row of cushions on the ones you have just placed and decide the height of the wall. Do not make a wall too high or the fortress may collapse.
- The "vertical support" technique is recommended for stiffer cushions, such as those of the sofa. Start building the fortress from the bed and build the walls around it by placing them on the shorter side and arranging them in a row. Support the walls on both sides with heavy objects (e.g. books) to prevent them from falling.
- For sturdier walls, wrap a blanket around the pillows to make a solid panel of sorts. Tie the blanket with clothespins or paper clips, then use heavy objects to support the panels.
Step 6. Build the roof
If available, use sheets to make the roof. The sheets are light and are less likely to collapse the fortress. Lay them on top of the walls and attach them if necessary with clothes pegs or paper clips.
- If you have a bunk bed, you can create a vaulted ceiling! Put a sheet under the mattress of the top bed and drop it towards the fortress walls. Use clothes pegs or paper clips to secure the sheet to the sides of the pillows.
- Use plain sheets if you can to make the roof. Fitted sheets are not recommended because they have rubber bands.
Step 7. Secure the roof with heavy objects, such as books, to lock the sides of the sheet to the floor
Alternatively, tuck the sides of the sheets under furniture, such as the legs of the desk or bed.
Step 8. Refuel your fortress
All fortresses need supplies, so get some snacks and drinks. If you want to use the fortress at night, prepare a torch or lights as well. Also remember to prepare books and games for entertainment.
Never use candles or other open flames inside the fortress! The sheets are highly flammable
Method 2 of 4: Make a Teepee Indian Tent Style Fortress
Step 1. Prepare long pieces of wood or rods
If you have a backyard garden, you may find sticks there. Keep in mind that you will need 5-7 sturdy and fairly resistant sticks and about one and a half meters long. If you don't have a garden from which to retrieve the sticks, ask your parents if they can buy you wooden rods (or curtain rods, or broomsticks) from the hardware store.
Step 2. Prepare the other materials
You will need string, string, or thick rubber bands to tie the rods together. Additionally, you will need several sheets or blankets to create the walls of the teepee tent, clothes pegs or paperweight clips.
Step 3. Arrange three tripod-shaped sticks
Place two sticks on the ground forming an inverted "V". Put another stick in the center of the "V" to form a sort of "W" in reverse.
Step 4. Tie the sticks together
The safest way to tie them is to make a spoken knot around the top of the sticks. If you are unable to make one, be sure to tie the string both under the sticks and around them. Leave a "tail" of rope.
If you are using rubber bands, wrap several on the top of the sticks to tie them together
Step 5. Ask a friend to help you set up the tent
Lifting the teepee alone is more difficult, ask a friend or your parents to help you out. Once raised, the sticks should look like a camera tripod. Arrange your legs to make them stable.
After raising the tripod, arrange the other sticks around the center. Use the string to tie them to the frame, or tie them with rubber bands
Step 6. Cover the teepee frame with sheets
Tie the sheets to the sticks with clothes pegs or paperweight pliers; or, use a string or twine.
If your parents give you permission, you could punch holes in the sheets with a hole punch to help help tie the sheets to the teepee structure. Use old sheets and remember to ask your parents for permission
Step 7. Put some cushions on the floor inside the tent
This way, your base will be more comfortable.
Step 8. Refuel your fortress
Bring snacks, drinks, books, games and maybe even a laptop for entertainment.
If you want to decorate the inside of the tent, hang some lights around the sticks and attach them to the current
Method 3 of 4: Make a Fortress with Blanket and Furniture
Step 1. Prepare the building materials
For this type of fortress you will need as many pillows, blankets and sheets as possible, as well as other furniture to arrange in a circle.
Have an adult help you move heavy furniture, such as dressers. Don't try to move the bed, build around it
Step 2. Arrange the furniture in a circle around the bed
The bed will likely be too bulky and heavy to move, so just move the other furniture and arrange it around the bed.
Chairs, desks, tables, bedside tables and dressers are perfect for the purpose
Step 3. Fill any spaces between the furniture with pillows
If you want to let in natural light, leave open spaces, such as between chair legs. For an intruder-proof fortress, fill in all the holes.
Step 4. Arrange the floor
Your fortress floor needs to be soft and comfortable, so throw in several soft pillows. Alternatively, you can use fluffy towels or the duvet on the bed (if available). If you use pillows, spread a blanket under them to create a firmer floor.
Step 5. Build the roof
To make the roof, use sheets instead of blankets, which are too heavy. Tie the sheets to the furniture with heavy objects, such as books, and with fasteners, such as clothes pegs or paperweight clips.
- If you want, slip the roof sheets into the dresser drawers and tie them with clothes pegs or paperweight pliers to get a taller, more angular roof.
- Tuck a few sides of the sheets under the mattress to tie them tightly.
- If you use furniture with hard, flat surfaces, such as desks or chair bases, you can secure the sheets to the surface with books or other heavy objects.
- You can also insert the sheets between the heavy furniture and the wall. Slip them under a heavy object, such as the headboard, and then push towards the wall.
- Use rubber bands or cords to tie blankets and sheets to the top of chairs that have ledges or rods, such as kitchen chairs.
Step 6. Refuel your fortress
Bring snacks or drinks inside the fortress. If you've used chairs or dressers, you can put supplies under chairs or in drawers. Also pack a flashlight, laptop, books and games (and a friend!).
Method 4 of 4: Building Other Types of Fortresses
Step 1. Create a fortress with the bunk bed
If you have a bunk bed, building a fortress is quick and easy. Get some sheets or blankets and tuck them under the mattress on the top bed. Drop the sheets to the floor on all sides.
Step 2. Build a tunnel fortress
This type of fortress is very easy to build, but smaller than others.
- Take two large pieces of furniture, such as a sofa and a table, place them side by side at a distance of about 60-100cm between them.
- Spread a sheet or blanket over the furniture to make the roof.
- Secure the roof by placing something heavy on each side (heavy books are ideal for this purpose).
- Place cushions in the tunnel on the floor to make a comfortable floor. The fortress is ready!
Step 3. Build a fortress with the beach umbrella
You can also use an umbrella, but the fortress will be smaller. If you have several umbrellas available, arrange them in a circle. Place the sheets on top and the fortress is ready!
Advice
- Whenever possible, use hard, flat-surfaced furniture so that you can put heavy objects (such as books) in it to hold the sheet roof in place.
- If you can, ask a friend to help you. Building a fortress with a friend is much easier!
