Build a blanket fort

A blanket fort is a small thing that still works at any age: a room inside a room, with the lights low and a screen at the open end. This guide on how to build a blanket fort covers a frame that holds, soft light and a safe set-up. Give yourself about an hour to build it and the rest of the evening to sit in it.

Choose a spot

• Pick a room with a bit of floor space, such as the living room. A corner helps, because two walls are already built.
• Clear the floor and move anything breakable or sharp.
• Check that you can reach an outlet, since you’ll want a charger and lights.
• Keep it well away from radiators, fireplaces, space heaters and anything else that gets hot. Blankets burn.
• Decide where the screen goes before you build, so the open side faces it.

What to gather

Beyond the list above, it helps to have:

• A few heavy things for weight: books, a pile of cushions, shoes
• Clothespins or big binder clips
• A broom handle or long pole, if you want a ridge
• Something thick for the floor, such as a rug or a folded duvet
• A tray for snacks

How to build a blanket fort

1. Make a frame. Place two chairs facing each other, or use the back of the couch as one side and a chair or two for the other. Space them no wider than the blanket you’ll use for the roof.
2. Add a ridge. Lay a broom handle across the tops of the chairs. It stops the roof sagging into a pit.
3. Drape the roof. Spread your biggest, heaviest blanket over the frame, with the ridge holding it up in the middle.
4. Anchor. Pin the corners with clothespins or clips, or tuck them under heavy books. Make sure nothing relies on a single thin point.
5. Close the sides. Hang more blankets down the sides and hold them with clips. Leave the front open, so there is air and a view.
6. Pad the floor. Lay rugs, a duvet and cushions inside. Add pillows along the back.
7. Add the light. Hang LED string lights along the inside edge, using clips or tape. Keep the cord out of the walkway.
8. Bring in the rest. Snacks, drinks, a book or a movie, and your phone charger.

Make it cosy

Soft things make the difference between a pile of blankets and a place you want to stay. Put a thick layer under you, because floors are cold in winter. Choose a roof blanket that is a little loose, so it reads as a canopy, and add a throw for each person. Keep a basket of small things inside: a book, a deck of cards, headphones, a pen and a notebook. Turn off the big overhead light and let the string lights do the work.

What goes wrong

• The roof sags. The span is too wide. Add a pole or another chair in the middle.
• Corners slip. Use clips, and weigh the edges down with books.
• It gets stuffy. Open one side, or lift a corner. A fort that’s fully sealed gets warm fast.
• Someone trips on a cord. Run the cords along the wall and tape them down.
• It collapses when you crawl in. Push gently on each corner to test it before you load it with pillows.

Safety

• Use LED lights only. They stay cool. Never put candles, a heater or a hot lamp near or inside the fort.
• Keep chairs and the couch for holding things up. Don’t climb on a frame.
• If children are in the fort, keep an adult nearby.

Using it

Put on a movie and settle in. A fort is also good for a long read, a game of cards, or just lying in the glow of the lights. When it’s over, fold the blankets, and take the clips down before you put the chairs back where they go. You’ll build it faster next time.

Make it a winter evening

Build it as the afternoon goes dark, and keep it simple: lights low, one extra blanket, a snack. It pairs well with a holiday movie night, or a mug of hot chocolate carried in.