15 Fort Building Kits and Ready-Made Forts for Kids
Whether they are used as reading nooks, secret lairs, rocket ships, or sleeping tents, forts are a fun and memorable part of childhood. These fort building kits, ready-made forts for kids, and complementary accessories will provide all the supplies and ideas your kids need for hours of open-ended fort fun.
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Fort Building Kits
These fort building kits turn your kids into mini-engineers. The open-ended nature of these sets provides many different options for designing and building fun forts for kids.
Pole and Connector Fort Building Kits
Pole and connector sets allow your kids to build the bones of geometric forts, tunnels, tents, bridges, or whatever else their imaginations come up with. They simply push the poles into holes on the connecting joints at various angles. After putting the structure together, they can drape a sheet over top to complete the fort.
We own a Crazy Forts set, and my kids love using the poles and connectors to design hideouts. Their most recent creation was an “igloo.”
You may want to purchase two or more Crazy Forts sets. While you can certainly build a fort for kids with only one set, you can make bigger and more complex structures with two or more.
Straws and Connectors
Kids can construct all kinds of shapes and structures using the 800-piece Playlearn Straws and Connectors set. The functionality of the set is similar to poles and connectors, but the straws are smaller and flexible; they can bend to create arches. The straws are not terribly strong, but you still may be able to drape a light sheet over your kids’ tunnels, tents, and forts for kids. It also includes a convenient case so that the kids can store their straws and connectors between uses – if they want to tear their creations down!
“Fort Boards” Fort Building Kits
Fort Boards are interlocking panels that can be connected at various angles to create shapes and structures. These award-winning fort building kits are made out of durable polypropylene and can also be used to design vehicles, animals, and more. As with other fort building kits, reviewers recommend buying more than one set to be able to build bigger structures.
If your kids are into Nerf gun wars, Blaster Boards are perfectly suited for building bunkers and barricades with targets, and even shields. Grab your Nerf guns and a set or two (or more) of Blaster Boards, and your kids will be set up for hours of backyard fun. You might also want to try these out with water guns. My kids have these Super Soakers, and they’re really fun and easy to use.
KiwiCo Fort Building Kits
This complete fort building kit from KiwiCo comes with everything you need to build a pretty amazing two-story fort for kids. The cardboard pieces connect together to form the walls and second floor, and it includes fabric for a roof and door. In true KiwiCo form, the kit includes detailed instructions and educational information about architecture. The pieces can also be configured into other structures your kids dream up. For an extra special touch, order the cannonball launcher that can be attached!
Minecraft Explorer Kit
Get your Minecraft-loving kids away from the screens and bring the fun of the game to life with this Minecraft Explorer kit. With durable, reusable panels and easy no-tool assembly, this creative building kit encourages hours of imaginative, screen-free fun for the whole family.
Magnetic Fort Building Kit
This magnetic fort building kit comes with 24 large reusable tiles that can be combined into creative fort shapes. They lay flat for easy storage and are easy to clean, and the softness of the material makes them safe for play.
Cardboard Building Block Set
Kids can put on their construction hats and use sturdy cardboard bricks to build forts, towers, and castles. Then, they can easily knock them down and build something new tomorrow. These jumbo building blocks are praised for their sturdiness and quality. The blocks arrive flat and must be folded up for playtime. You may want to get a storage tote if you do not want to take the time to fold them back down after every use.
Box Lox
If you have ever had some cardboard boxes around the house, you have probably seen them repurposed into fabulous creations by your kids. However, it can be hard to fasten multiple cardboard pieces together. That’s where Box Lox kits come in. Using these handy clips to securely fasten cardboard together, kids can upcycle cardboard into epic forts and anything else their imaginations can come up with. The Box Lox kits also include booklets with ideas for your kids’ cardboard creations. Unlike tape, these fasteners can be used over and over again.
TOTE A FORT Blanket Fort Kit for Kids
Blanket forts at our house usually consist of chairs being dragged in from the dining room and blankets constantly slipping, shifting, and sagging. TOTE A FORT allows your kids to master the elusive blanket fort. This fort building kit gives you all the materials you need to construct a sturdy blanket fort, using blankets made of durable Ripstop material, Velcro, and bean bags to weigh them down. Your kids can creatively attach the blankets to household items to create the ultimate blanket fort. The set also comes with a handy cinch sack to store and transport all the fort-building supplies.
Big Interlocking Building Blocks
These large, colorful interlocking blocks are perfect for building forts, castles, tunnels, a puppet show stage, or whatever structure your kids can come up with. The blocks are sturdy and easy to handle, even for little ones.
Ready-Made Forts for Kids
The following ready-made fort ideas offer creative and easy ways for kids to escape into forts without having to design and build something themselves.
AirFort
Have you ever done a group exercise with a parachute and sat underneath while the parachute ballooned up like a canopy? That is similar to the experience of being inside an AirFort. These provide a simple alternative to building the outside of the fort so kids can get straight to imagining what is happening inside. You will need a box fan to operate the AirFort. Once it is hooked up, your kids’ roomy fort inflates within 30 seconds! Choose from lots of adorable designs, such as a beach, cottage, cabin, or barn.
Bed Tent
Transform your child’s bed into a fort with a bed tent. Set the tent up over the bed with the mattress as the floor. Your kids can sleep inside or use it to play and hide out during the day. This adorable bed tent comes in several different designs, including a space theme.
Play Tent
Set up a play tent in your playroom or child’s bedroom for a fun fort. Bring some blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and books inside, and your children will have their own special nook. This stylish Tiny Land teepee is made out of natural breathable material, has cute little windows in the side, and even comes with a padded mat and lights. Another option is a popup tent such as this one that even comes with make-believe camping accessories.
Wooden Frames as Forts for Kids
Set up this beautiful open playhouse frame inside, and you have the perfect place for your kids to pretend, read, or eat meals. You can set up a play kitchen or table inside to make it feel like a real house, and you can even decorate the playhouse for the different seasons!
Fabric Playhouses
Did you know you probably already have a great structure for a fort in your home? Your dining room table! You can use a tablecloth to print or draw your own house, castle, or fort design on the outside and cut in doors or windows. If you would like a ready-made option, try this adorable tablecloth playhouse on Etsy.
Accessories for Kids’ Forts
Make your forts for kids extra special with these accessories:
- String up fairy lights inside the fort to create a magical ambiance.
- If your kids are using their fort as a pretend camping tent, they can use this camping set to enhance their play.
- Your kids can relax against these backrest pillows while relaxing in their forts.
- Grab a mat for the floor beneath the fort so that your kids have a soft, comfortable surface to play on.
- A portable reading light so kids can turn their fort into a reading nook.
- Beanbag chairs provide comfortable seating inside your forts for kids. This beanbag chair has the added bonus of being a stuffed animal storage unit. Sold!
What can kids do in the fort?
Sometimes kids can benefit from parents planting a seed of an idea for how they can use their forts. To jumpstart your imagination, here are some creative scenes shared by fellow moms:
- Cardboard box trains that made great props for reenacting Thomas and Friends episodes
- Lions’ dens inspired by The Lion King
- Little House on the Prairie houses
- Werewolf dens
- Mermaid hideouts utilizing the bathtub
- Pirate ships leading to treasure-seeking adventures
- Space stations and rocket ships
- Hogwarts castle from Harry Potter
- Make plans to build a fort on the same day as a friend and take one another on “tours” via video chat
However your kids use them, and whatever they are made of, your kids’ forts are sure to lead to lasting memories.
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- 25 Engaging STEM Toys for Toddlers Under 3 Years Old
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