Saturday, March 10, 2012

New House Rules For Fort Building

Spring is coming, sometimes it feels like it is here already.  Today, the boys are gearing up for another air soft war, and have been building elaborate trenches and forts and bunkers every free second they got since last spring.   The problem is that when winter comes and the leaves fall off all the trees we can see all of their creations.  This spring it will be different because I have disallowed any artificial matter being used in the forts.  To them, this means
1. No PVC piping
2. No tarps
3. No electrical or duct tape
Oh, they complained about this every chance they got.  I told them they just have to figure something out. Yet,  I know they don't really appreciate just how rewarding it is for them ...to think, and create, and get dirty and muddy and come up with their own natural fort.  Someday they will.
Posted by Annmarie Pipa at 11:10 AM

70 comments:

  1. A fort without artificial matter? These kids are going to end up with their own survival TV program. If they get an Emmy maybe we'll see you with them on the red carpet.

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  2. My boys love playing out back in the woods with their airsoft and paintball guns, too. It'll be fun to see what matter of lean-tos and trenches they end up with. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. I hope they find a good way to chop wood to use instead.

    Thanks for the follow! I've followed you back.

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  4. Guns? Forts? Oh yea, that is what boys do when they are allowed to be boys! I thought that was not allowed today, glad to see it still exists.

    Cranky Old Man

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  5. i used to love building forts as a girl, so happy to see you are letting your boys use their imaginations!

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  7. We had a play house as kids it was great, anew adventure everyday. Thanks for stopping by, Laura

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  8. I'm sure they will come up with something bigger and better...I'd be afraid, very, very afraid! xo

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  9. New Follower :P .. im sure they will come up with something bigger and better! :P

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  10. Great to let kids use their imagination. I'm sure they will come up with something terrific.

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  11. I can't wait to see what they come up with! They're going to look awesome.

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  12. Good for you, these rules will make their play much safer!!!

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  13. They are going to figure out something great! I can't wait to see it :)

    I tagged you! If you want to participate here is the post that explains it :)
    http://www.sippycupchronicles.com/2012/03/tag-your-it-11-things-about-me.html

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  14. my kids are prone to such stuff too after watching too many episodes of Man vs. Wild with me.

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  15. I think it's great that you are making them use more natural substances..now through there play they will have another learning element added without even knowing it!!

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  16. Sound like you have some boys with a very active imagination and that's great.....

    Thanks for the visit today and the follow and I will be following you too....

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  17. Wow this sounds like lots of fun. My boys would love to have some of those to play with.

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  18. Been there, done that as a young boy. We lived out in the scrub/bush so we had little available in man-made building materials. Trenches, tunnels and brush screens on rough tree limb platforms to make 'hides'.

    Good time of life, especially for boys.

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  19. Haha I think I would come up with the same rules if I needed to. I am lucky with 3 boys the oldest being 10 still only uses blankets and books to build the inside forts!

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  20. I love that you are giving them control! They will come up with great ideas!

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  21. What a wonderful assignment for them. They are going to have a blast!

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  22. At our house that is where pallets came in. I want to decorate with the pallets IN the house, and they use them for protection for paint balls and air soft guns OUTside. I have to ask permission to have a pallet. Something is wrong with that.

    ~Bliss~

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  24. Yes, the WILL remember it and with fondness!!!! THANK YOU FOR VISITING! Anita

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  25. You are such a brilliant writer- I love reading your posts

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  26. You are wonderful at creating thinking kids! What a great idea to have them use nothing artificial...enjoyed this as usual.

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  27. Too funny! My kids are all grown now, but, boy! do I remember those days!!! You know it is going to be fun for them and they will figure out how to do it!

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  28. I'm sure they will figure something out. I remember the days with airsoft wars. :)

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  29. Oh Mom, shoot when I was a kid, we at least got to use the box the frig came in!!...Oh well, can't wait to see what the poor deprived youngins come up with LOL!

    Carol

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  30. That's too funny! But to take away Duct Tape????? That's just cruel!

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  31. Seriously? You took away their DUCT TAPE? Well, how in the world will they hold their pants up?;>) Gotta love those kid forts! xo Diana

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  32. Our Joshua loved doing this, too. I just packed his stuff away in the trunk ... he is now 'grown up' so he thinks, chuckle. I kept the duct tape out for my use ...

    Have a lovely weekend ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

    ~ GIVEAWAY ends 3/15 ~

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  33. You will have to show us the finished results! sandie

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  34. What fun! Good for you and them !

    Thank you for coming by Spots and Wrinkles. Always glad to meet a new friend. Have a good weekend ... Marsha

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  35. What fun you must have with those boys. :) I only have one daughter, but would love to have had at least one son too.

    I'm happy to follow you back and look forward to getting to know you.

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  36. No artificial matter means they will have to give it a bit of thought but it will be worth it in the end..........hope they have fun

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  37. that's great that you're urging their creativity along

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  38. Lol! Love this post- it's good for them to be creative!
    -Kendall
    Songbirdsandbuttons.blogspot.com

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  39. Sounds like they have fun. They will figure out the new rules.

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  40. Imagination and creativity are the best resources.

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  41. Good for you to get them to think outside the box! They might complain, but they will thank you later.

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  42. Hope they have fun, fun, fun.

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  43. Great idea of letting their imaginations run wild & be creative! BTW, thanks for dropping by my blog & for the follow. Love to read your blog & I'm your new follower! Have a lovely day ! : )

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  44. I've never heard of an air soft war but then it's been ages since I've had kids playing in my house too. I like your rules for the fort building. Good way for them to use their imaginations and come up with creative ways to build their forts.

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  45. You are so right! It's truly an exercise in imagination.

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  46. Good Morning Sweetie...
    I can't wait to see what they come up with. Isn't it amazing what the mind finds when it is challenged in this very way. Young kids have the best imaginations, so I know this will be good.

    Please keep us posted. I will be watching and waiting for this one. Love the photo. So fun. Have a glorious Sunday sweetie. Many hugs and much love, Sherry

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  47. NO DUCT TAPE!!! Ah man!
    Thanks for following me on Life 101, I look forward to seeing what you're up to.
    Rick

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  48. Such a funny story! It's fabulous that they are amusing themselves without the TV or video games. Happy Pink Saturday! ~Marti

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  49. Good for you and them. I love to see kids playing like that instead of in front of video games or tv.

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  50. I say "Bravo" to you! Your new rules will create a great new adventure for your boys. I truly feel the more you encourage (or demand) the use of children's imagination, the better off the children will be.

    Thanks so much for stopping by blog & leaving your sweet comments!
    CAS

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  51. I am sure they will come up with a great fort in the end. And they'll have grown doing it!

    =)

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  52. Wow, I can't wait to see what they come up with!! We used to use bamboo poles and a sheet to make our forts:)

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  53. Oh, the creativity of young boys...I just know they'll come up with something...and have a blast doing it :)

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  54. You will have to post a picture of their creation. So much better to use natural materials and a lot imagination! I loved making forts as a child. :)

    ~Jess
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

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  55. Hopefully they'll make a lovely cosy hide away where you can go when you want five minutes peace!Rx

    http://sandersonsmithstory.blogspot.com/

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  56. Take pictures of what they come up with! This should be interesting!

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  57. Oh how fun! I remember building forts when we were young. Winter forts were always so much fun. Love the camo! :)

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  58. Children have to have something to complain about - it's character-building:-)

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  59. My granddaughter was just introduced to a fort in our living room last week. Now she insists "Up!" when she comes in the door. I don't think my living room will take a break from forts this go round...

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  60. I remember making up stuff with "stuff" outside. Great fun and memories-those I still remember...teehee..

    Thanks for following my blog. Blessings**

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  61. Love it! Way to go mama! They will appreciate it one day too.

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  62. LOL thank goodness I have a girl! I wouldn't know how to keep up with boys. Even if she did build a fort, it would still be completely different from boys. It would be made out of lace drapes or something indoors! LOL

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  63. Wow, sounds like a real battle. So tunnels and hiding in trees will be a bigger challenge? I am sure they are up to it!

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  64. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I think I need to adopt these rules! I just have one boy, but when my nephews come visit and team up with him, there is lots of fort building and they use anything and everything. There favorite spot turned into just such an eyesore too. lol

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  65. Thank you for visiting white lace cottage.Wow I am glad I have my one girl.A quiet girl at that.I guess boys do keep you on your feet.I have two brothers and I remember that very well.

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  66. I Love this. It brings me back to my childhood. We LOVED FORTS!

    Irish

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  68. Sounds like something that happens very often in my home too :)

    Mandy

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  69. They will forget that they even wanted tape once they are out there having fun!
    My sisters and I used our duvets over our bunk bed when we were little lol.
    Thank you for linking up, really appreciate it x x

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  70. my boys love to build forts and dens in the trees hope your boys get used to the new rules :) Thanks for the follow on my blog am following you now too x

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